An Annotated Bibliography of Running Literature 1975-2016
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A Thesis Presented to
The Faculty of Letters Hokkaido University
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In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master Degree of Fine Arts
English
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by
Kei Kunikane
January 10, 2017
Table of Contents
I. Japanese Abstract iii
II. Introduction 1
III. Annotated Bibliography 11
IV. Indexes
A: Athletes 174
B: Athletic Organizations 178
C: Major Competitions 179
D: Injuries 181
E: Training Methods 182
F: Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes 183
V. Appendixes
A: Athletes 184
B: Athletic Organizations 197
C: Major Competitions 199
D: Injuries 205
E: Training Methods 206
F: Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes 208
ii
I.
1975 2016 10
Guide to British Track and Field Literature
1275-1968 (Athletics Arena, London, 1969) An Annotated Bibliography of
Track and Field Books Published in the United States Between 1960-1974 (San
Jose State University, San Jose, CA, 1975)
1975 2016
43 1975 1979 2
1980 2 1990 6 2000 2016 33
2000 1970 16
70 Frank Shorter Bill Rodgers Alberto Salazar
1990
37 28
2000
43
iii
II. Introduction
This project covers novels, essays, biographies and autobiographies on all running events—track and field, cross-country, (ultra) marathon—published in the United States with the aim of cultivating the relatively undeveloped study of the genre for its further enhancement, but also in hopes of becoming a useful resource for those who wish to study running literature.
The coverage of this project ranges from 1975 to October 2016. Only two annotated bibliographies exist: Guide to British Track and Field Literature
1275-1968 (Athletics Arena, London, 1969), the first British bibliography on track and field, and An Annotated Bibliography of Track and Field Books
Published in the United States Between 1960-1974 (San Jose State University,
San Jose, CA, 1975). These bibliographies not only include track and field events but also cross-country and marathon. In the latter bibliography, Ray
Morrison, its author, says that the vast majority of British books are included in the Guide to British Track and Field Literature 1275-1968. Since his own bibliography deals with American publications between 1960-1974, my study deals with publications from 1975 to the present.
In this bibliography, 43 works have been collected using multiple online databases—ABSEES, Amazon, Book Review Digest Plus, Goodreads, MLAIB online, Times Literary Supplement, Webcat—with a combination of keywords such as “cross-country”, “distance runner”, “distance”, “endurance sport”,
“endurance”, “literature in track and field”, “long distance runner”,
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“marathoner”, “marathon”, “runner”, “running in literature”, “running literature”, “running”, “run”, “sprinter”, “sprint”, “stride”, “track and field”,
“track”, “trod”, “ultramarathoner”, “ultramarathon” .
These works are placed in chronological order so that readers can know the varying interest in each event during each era. Each work collected in this bibliography is fully annotated, and the annotations are intended to provide useful information to those who study this field. An index of athletes, athletic organizations, major competitions, injuries, training methods, and physiology and symptoms common for athletes is given at the end.
The breakdown of kinds of events is as follows: 10 works on sprinting, 6 works on middle distance, 9 works on long distance, 9 works on marathon, 5 works on ultramarathon and 4 works on cross-country. The breakdown of the genres is the following: 7 novels, 5 essays, 13 biographies and 18 autobiographies. Two novels were published from 1975 to 1979, one on middle distance and the other on marathon. In the 1980s, 2 works were published: an autobiography on middle distance and an essay on long distance. In the 1990s, 6 works were published: 3 works on sprint, 1 work on middle distance, 2 works on long distance (3 novels, 2 biographies and 1 autobiography). Works published from 2000 to 2016 are classified as follows: 6 works on sprint, 3 works on middle distance, 6 works on long distance, 8 works on marathon, 6 works on ultramarathon, 4 works on cross-country, and 16 autobiographies, 11 biographies, 2 novels, and 4 essays.
Among these works, some tendencies such as the number of works, genre,
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events, contents and author’s and protagonist’s sex can be seen, and these trends are mentioned with sociological aspects.
The number of works of running literature seems to be related to the running boom in the 1970s, when people around the world took up running.
When looking at the number of participants in the New York Marathon, first held in 1970 and now known as a Major World Marathon, the total number of participants has been increasing, particularly the number of women.1
Although the running boom happened in 1970s and the interest in running has been growing, their influence was not immediately reflected in the number of works on running. From 1975 to 1979, the only two works, one on middle distance and the other on the marathon, appeared. While one of the two works is a suspense novel and does not take running as a serious theme, the names of some world famous marathoners such as Abebe Bikila and Paavo Nurumi appear in the work. For example, in a website article the Guardian refers to Abebe
Bikila’s victory in the 1960 Rome Olympic marathon as one of fifty stunning
Olympic achievements, “Bikila Runs Barefoot into History.” Bikila, who was unknown and not recognized as a strong runner, amazed the world not only by becoming the first East African to win a medal, but also because he ran the race barefoot. Their success seems to have been recognized and to have had an impact on people.
1 According to the TCS New York City Marathon, a website, which provides the statistical information on participants, in 1975, 24,863 runners (22,649 men and 2,214 women), in 1980s 170,932 runners (143,027 men and 27,905 women), in 1990s 282,420 runners (214,079 men and 68,341 women), in 2010 to current 1,070,784 (764,609 men and 306,175 women) has participated in the marathon. 3
An autobiography and essay first appeared in the 1980s, and during this decade, interest in distance running increased. The first autobiography, In Quest of Gold: The Jim Ryun Story by Jim Ryun, appeared at this time.
When turning to the 1990s, the publications show different traits. Not only do the publications on running literature triple, but works on sprinting first appeared in running literature. One curious thing is that three works out of six are all about African-American sprinters. African-American athletes had never been described in running literature before. Running itself was not considered important in society, and the issue of racism was also deeply rooted at that time.
Nevertheless, African-American sprinters began to be described. Their appearance in works was thought to be the result of the success of the
African-American athletes such as Carl Lewis and Wilma Rudolph, the first woman to get a gold medal in the Olympic Games. A woman athlete had never been written about in over two decades, and their appearance in running literature takes a huge role in the future prospects for women athletes. Although the interest in sprints has increased, writing about middle and long-distance runners were still popular.
According to USA Track & Field (USATF), the top three ranks were occupied by American and British runners at the 1980 and 1988 Olympic Games in middle and long-distance races, and their constant national strength in these events may increase the popularity of running.
Another notable trait in running literature that should be given attention is the changing contents of the works. Turning to 2000 and works dealing with the
4
ultramarathon, the first one is Dean Karnazes’ Ultramarathon Man: Confession of an All-Night Runner, his autobiography. Following this, six other works on the ultramarathon were published, all autobiographies, in which the authors emphasize their difficulties and the challenges of running great distances over a span of days without any sleep.
Autobiographies published before 2000 are about a famous athletes’ life, focused on their success in athletics. Those who write about the ultramarathon focus more on their spirituality: they discover the authentic value of running through running great distances, even though they may risk their lives by running over difficult terrain and in dangerous places.
With the advent of the ultramarathon, the theme of the autobiographies has been changing, and a number of the works on the ultramarathon focus more on spirituality than the athletic success.
From 1975 to the 1990s, the genres of running literature are limited, and in this respect the running boom and the increasing number of runners are not necessarily reflected in running literature, but the successful athletes in each decade seem to have more influence over the running literature.
Turning to 2000, the number of works sextupled those of the 1990s.
Following the introduction of a new event, works on ultramarathon first appeared its appearance follows after the World 100km Championships, the first major ultramarathon held in 1987. Unlike the unpopularity of running literature in the 1970s and 1980s, when only two works were published, works on the ultramarathon appeared soon after the first ultramarathon. These collected
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ulatramarahon works are given high ratings by Amazon, GoodReads, and
Runner’s World. For example, Runner’s World refers to Christopher
McDougall’s Born to Run as “the most entertaining running books ever” and to
Amby Burfoot’s The Runner’s Guide to the Meaning of Life as “One of the five best books on running.” Such praise has contributed to the spreading popularity of running literature.
Another factor contributing to the popularity of running literature is the recent development of social media and SNS such as Twitter and Facebook.
Media broadcasts may cover a runner’s performance in a race, but those who write about running may also appear on TV shows. Through their appearance in the media, people become interested in them and search for information about them on the Internet. It is no surprise that most authors who have published in the 2000s, such as Scott Jurek, the author of Eat and Run, Christopher
McDougall, the author of Born to Run, and Pam Reed, the author of The Extra
Mile, have SNS. On such, they write about the results of competitions and their physical improvement, and they introduce their books. The popularity of running literature is due in part to the dramatic development and accessibility of social media and SNS.
It is also worth considering the sex of the authors of each work: 28 male authors and 9 female authors write 37 works. (Works by co-author are excluded.) The breakdown of changing number is the following: in 1970 to 1979, two male authors, two works; in the 1980s, one male author, one work; in the
1990s, all male authors wrote five works; and from 2000 to 2015, 20 male
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authors and 9 female authors published 29 works. Female authors only started writing about running in the 2000s.
Although men had dominantly overwhelmed the running world, the slow emergence of women authors is probably associated with the foundation of organization and the law for guaranteeing women’s right to participate in sports and the increasing number of women participants in the Olympic Games. Of great importance in the US was Title IX, a federal law passed in 1972 that prohibited discrimination against women’s participation in sports. In 1974,
Women’s Sports Foundation was founded in the United States; in the United
Kingdom and continental Europe, Women’s Sports Foundation was founded in
1984. Furthermore, the Working Group for European Women and Sport was established in 1989. In spite of these organizations and laws, however, the impact was relatively small on sports participation at the early stage.
In looking at the chart of women’s participation in Summer Olympic
Games and the sports events for women, the lateness of the dramatic increase in female participation becomes clear. 2 The gradual increase in women’s participation in sports and the social movement for guaranteeing women’s rights
2 According to International Olympic Committee, in 1972, 1,059 women participated in 8 sports events, whereas 7,134 men participated in 21 sports. In
1984, 1,566 women participated in 14 events. In 1996, 3,512 women participated in 21 events. In 2000, 4,069 women participated in 25 events, and in 2016 over
4,700 women participated in 28 events.
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seem to have had an influence on the tone of each work. Nine out of 37 works are written by female authors, and their works are likely to bear a feminist aspect. Authors such as Margaret Webb, Paula Radcliffe, and Pam Reed show this trend. Pam Reed, the author of The Extra Mile, mentions the male-dominant sports society, in which the female athletes face difficulties in trying to enter the previously male domain. She also complains about sexual inequality and clearly shows her defiant attitude toward it.
The more the social movement related to female rights strengthened, the more the number of sports available to them and the number of female participants increased, the more the number of female authors correspondingly increased, and their works are likely to bear a distinctly feminist aspect.
Comparing to 1972 Olympic Games, the number of sports event for women increased three times and women participants also increased four times.
Consequently, the significant increase can be seen after the late 1990s.
Following the increasing number of women participants in sports, the number of female authors has increased after 2000. Up to then, the works in this bibliography were all written by male authors, but works with a female protagonist first appeared in the 1990s. (Female protagonist appeared in 2 out of
6 works in the 1990s and in 11 out of 32 works from 2000 to 2016.) Their works are mostly autobiography (8 out of 9 works are autobiography). In their autobiographies, they are likely to write about their experience participating in the male-dominant sports world and their insistence on gender equality, showing one aspect like feminism.
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Among the collected works, the number of works increased slowly in the
1990s due to the influence of the running boom in the 1970s. With increased participation by women in the Olympic Games, the passage of laws and the establishment of women’s athletic organizations, the number of works increased dramatically after 2000. From 1975 to the 2000s, the genre of works also changed. Autobiography became a dominant genre, after biography in the 2000s, when not only male authors but also female authors distinguished themselves.
As the enhancement for interests in running and the increasing number of works, the number of books on running literature will increase. The current tendency in genre seem to be (auto) biographical writings rather than essays or novels: athletes who often deal with the media, appear on TV, and are active on SNS, are likely to publish their own books.
The contents of works of running literature are also becoming more varied.
Since 2000, biographies linked with history, such as Triumph: Jesse Owens and
Hitler's Olympics by Jeremy Schaap and Running for My Life: One Lost Boy’s
Journey from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games by Lopez
Lomong, have appeared. Both authors write about the racism that pervaded the historical situation at that time. Cameron Stracher, the author of Kings of the
Road, mentions the history of the running boom and the process of this unexpected boom spreading among people. Jill Angie writes about the club she established and repeatedly recommends it to her readers. Another kind of work is Running by James M. McCracken, in which the main character comes to terms with his sexuality.
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Works published in the 2000s are more likely than before to mention historical and social issues such as the race and the social consciousness of sports. Works published before 2000 also deal with famous athletes, but may refrain from referring to social issues in spite of works on African-American athletes or female athletes, which may relate to the depth or the heat of these issues at that time. Cameron Stracher has written about the running boom in the
1970s, and it is likely that there will be further books about the past and continuing growth of running as a popular activity for the general population.
James M. McCracken comes to a realization about his sexuality in his childhood and writes about it in Running. It is probable that running will provide the background for other books dealing with such personal and social issues. The tone of future works may also change, as more works may emphasize the spiritual rather than the athletic aspect of running.
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III. Annotated Bibliography
1975
#1. Goldman, William. Marathon Man. Delacorte, New York, 1975. 309p.
A. Author (1931- )
An American author, playwright and screenwriter, who was born in
Chicago. He graduated from Oberlin College with B.A. in 1952. Later he
went on to earn a Master’s degree in English from Columbia University in
1956. His career as an author began in 1957, and he later became a
screenwriter. His major works are The Princess Bride (Ballantine, New
York, 1998) and Heat (Warner, New York, 1985).
B. Work
1. Genre
Novel
2. Period Covered
1950s to 1970s
3. Setting
New York City, New York
4. Main Characters
Henry David Levy (Doc): Thomas’s older brother and a member of the
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Division
Peter Erhard and Franz Karl: Szell’s subordinates
Szell: a former of Nazi
Thomas Babington Levy (Babe): the protagonist, a college student and
a runner
5. Plot Summary
This is a story, which consists of 29 chapters, about Thomas
Babington Levy, who is filled with a blazing vengefulness toward the
enemy who kills Henry David Levy, his brother and a member of the
Division, a secret U.S. intelligence agency conducting activities
necessary for the conduct of foreign relations and national security.
Thomas Babington Levy is an ordinary college student and a
marathoner. One day, however, his normal life is totally changed by the
death of Henry David Levy, his brother, a member of the Division and
is killed by one of its members.
Thomas Babington Levy was shocked by his brother’s sudden
death and decides to kill the murderer. As he collects hints for its death,
he comes to be suspicious of Szell, a former of Nazi. Szell, a
professional spy, notices Thomas surveying him and they come to stand
facing each other. Thomas struggles against Szell’s merciless attack,
and he succeeds in killing his hated enemy in the end.
12
6. Terms
Athletes
Abebe Bikila (1932-1973): an Ethiopian marathoner, a gold medalist at
1960 Rome and 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, famous for running
barefoot.
For more information: https://www.olympic.org/abebe-bikila
Paavo Nurmi (1897-1973): a Finnish long-distance runner, a winner of
1920 Antwerp Olympic Games in 10,000m and 1924 Paris Olympic
Games in 5000m.
For more information:
http://www.urheilumuseo.fi/portals/47/paavonurmi2010/life.htm
C. Commentary
This suspense story fits the protagonist with the descriptions of some
famous runners such as Abebe Bikila, a marathoner. Abebe is famous for
running in the Olympic with bare feet. The description of the protagonist,
and famous runners he respects corresponds with each scene, which is like,
for example, Abebe running with bare feet and Thomas with bare feet
escaping from enemy. Readers can enjoy this suspense itself but also how
internationally famous athletes corresponds with the protagonist.
Running literature is not popular at the time in spite of victory of
runners broadcasted through media, but this novel was cinematized. This
was the first running novel to become a movie and may have contributed to
13
the recognition of running literature.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Marathon Man by William Goldman. n.d. Web.
Accessed 10 April. 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Marathon-Man-William-Goldman/product-
reviews/0345439724/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_see_all_top?ie=UTF8&reviewer
Type=avp_only_reviews&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=helpful.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Marathon Man by William Goldman. n.d. Web.
Accessed 10 April. 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21796.Marathon_Man.
Rogerbert.com Rev. of Marathon Man by William Goldman. n.d. Web.
Accessed 10 April. 2016.
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/marathon-man-1976.
1978
#2. Parker, John L. Jr. Once a Runner. Scribner, New York, 1978. 304p.
A. Author (1947- )
An American author and a former long-distance runner, who
14
graduated from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism. He has
worked as an editor of Running Times Magazine. His other works are Again
to Carthage (Breakaway, New York, 2007) and Runners & Other Dreamers
(Cedarwinds, Tallahassee, FL, 1989).
B. Work
1. Genre
Novel
2. Period Covered
1950s to 1960s
3. Setting
Kernsville, Florida
4. Main Characters
Bruce Denton: a former Olympic champion in long-distance events and
Quenton’s coach
Dick Doobey: a football coach, who expels Quenton from the university
Jerry Mizner: Quenton’s close friend and teammate
John Walton: the world record holder for the mile
Mary Ellen Conastee: Quenton’s girl friend
Quenton Cassidy: a middle distance runner, a protagonistt
5. Plot Summary
This is a story of Quenton Cassidy, a middle distance runner with
a dream of running under 4:00 for the mile. Quenton, a natural talented
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athlete, belongs to a track and field club at Southeastern University in
Florida, where he is already a well-known athlete.
One day, however, his athletic life is suddenly over; he gets
suspended from the university for writing a petition for the college’s
athletes protesting a dress and conduct code. He can’t discard his dream,
running under 4:00, and goes to a cabin deep in the woods, where he
begins training for competing in the Southern Relays. He undertakes a
harsh workout given tactically by Coach Bruce, which gradually makes
him realize that his mind and body are ready for the competition.
On the day of the meet, he focuses on the way he runs and
controls himself. He finally wins a first place, accomplishing the feat of
defeating John Walton, called the best miler in the world.
6. Terms
Training Methods
Interval (training): the type of physical training that involves a series
of low- to high-intensity exercise workouts interspersed with rest or
relief periods.
For more information:
http://sk.sagepub.com/reference/sportsmedicine/n268.xml
Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes
Anabolic steroid: a synthetic steroid hormone, which resembles
testosterone in promoting the growth of muscle.
Homeostasis: a biological system maintains stability, which adjusts to
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changing condition.
For more information:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-homeostasis/
Lactic Acid: a compound produced when glucose is broken down and
oxidized. During intense exercise when oxygen levels are lower,
more lactic acid is produced which can produce hydrogen ions and a
burning sensation in muscles while they are active.
For more information:
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/lactic-acid-blood-test#1
C. Commentary
This book is called one of cult classic in some reviews, but the theme
attitude of one athlete trying to achieve their dream is common. Quenton,
once a famous athlete dreaming of being an Olympian, is expelled from the
university, thus losing an opportunity to compete, and his dream is changed
from being an Olympian to competing against the hatred university. This
point is different than other running literature: most describes one athlete
who training to be a successful athlete. This book, however, gives the reader
a different way of considering on athlete.
Once a Runner is also a sequel to Again to Carthage. Through the two
books, the author writes about the physical and mental change of the
protagonist, Once a Runner is about the protagonist who accomplishes his
dream to win competitions and Again to Carthage is about a protagonist
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who retires from his athletic career and runs again in pursuit of the meaning
of running. For this bibliography, the two are considered to be a single book,
as both describe a similar protagonist’s growth, although at different ages.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Once a Runner, by John L. Parker Jr. n.d. Web.
Accessed 13 March 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Once-Runner-John-Parker-Jr/product-reviews
/1416597891/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_see_all_top?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=a
vp_only_reviews&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=helpful.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Once a Runner, by John L. Parker Jr. n.d. Web.
Accessed 13 March 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98250.Once_a_Runner.
Slate.com “Once a Runner, the best novel ever about distance running” 31
December 2008. Marc Tracy. Accessed 13 March 2016.
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2008/12/speed_reading.h
tml.
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1984
#3. Ryun, Jim, and Mike Phillips. In Quest of Gold: The Jim Ryun
Story. Harper & Row, San Francisco, 1984. 222p.
A. Authors
Jim Ryun (1996-2007)
An American runner, born in Jefferson Country, Kansas, who won a
silver medal at 1968 Olympic. Jim Ryun graduated from the University of
Kansas with a degree in photojournalism, where he met his wife, Anne and
married.
Mike Phillips (1941- )
A British writer, broadcaster and journalist. Mike Phillips, born in
Georgetown, the capital of Guyana, graduated from the University of
London and Essex, where he studied English and Politics. He had worked at
the BBC as a journalist and broadcaster for ten years and after retirement
became a full-time writer. His other publications are The Late Candidate (St.
Martin's, New York, 1990), Name You Once Gave Me (HarperCollins,
London, 2006) and Mike Phillips' The Art of Detailing: Proper Techniques,
Tips & Tricks to Achieve a Show Car Shine (Palm Beach Motoring
Accessories, Stuart, FL, 2011).
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B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
1960s to 1980s
3. Setting
Wichita and Lawrence, Kansas
4. Main Characters
Ann: Ryun’s husband
Bob Timmons: Ryun’s track coach in high school
Heather, Catharine, Ned and Drew: Ryun’s sons
Jim Olson: Ryun’s friend and fellow runner at the University of Kansas
Jim Ryun: a miler, the protagonist
5. Plot Summary
Jim Ryun shares his motivation for ruining in elementary school
and later in his athletic career, but also writes about his personal life
after retirement.
He is a boy with the hope of being a professional athlete from
his elementary school days. He tries different sports, playing baseball
and basketball. Disappointed at his athletic talent in those sports, the
next tries track. When he first runs a mile, his time is over 5 minutes.
He can’t win any races at first, but gradually begins to think of
running as a possible sport. He attends the University of Kansas,
20
where he wins a national championship, becomes an Olympian, and set
a world records in the 1500m and mile. After he retires from his
athletic career, he marries Anne, a cheerleader when he was at Kansas,
and has four children.
This autobiography covers not only on his athletic life but also
his personal life after he retires.
6. Terms
Athletes
Amos Biwott (1947- ): a former Kenyan distance runner, winner of
the 3000m steeplechase at the 1968 Olympics.
Bob Beamon (1946- ): a former American long jumper, who set a
world record at the 1968 Olympics in the long jump.
Duncan MacDonald (1949- ): a former American marathoner, a
three-time winner of the Honolulu Marathon.
Glenn Cunningham (1909-1988): a former American middle distance
runner who set a world record in the 800m.
Ron Clarke (1937-2015): a former Australian distance athlete, writer
and politician. He set seventeen world records.
Steve Prefontaine (1951-1975): an American middle and long-distance
runner, winner of the 5,000m at the 1971 Pan-America.
Athletic Organizations
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU): a multi-sports organization based in
the United States, dedicated to the promotion and development of
21
amateur sports and physical fitness program.
International Olympic Committee (IOC): an international
organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, which organized the
modern Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Fames held every four
years.
For more information: https://www.olympic.org/the-ioc
Injuries
Achilles Tendonitis: an inflammation of the Achilles tendon. If not
resolved, the condition gets worse; the tendon loses its organized
structure and is likely to develop microscopic tears.
For more information:
https://www.foothealthfacts.org/conditions/achilles-
tendon-disorders
C. Commentary
His story of being a successful athlete is unique in running literature.
He did not choose track and field at first. Readers can enjoy the unique way
to find his talent in the sport and to become an Olympian. On the other hand,
this book has a strong religious tone. When he is in a slump or racing phase,
he seeks and prays to God. This book is highly reviewed, but the excessive
religious description is criticized.
22
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of In Quest of Gold: The Jim Ryun Story by Jim Ryun
and Mike Phillips. n.d. Web. Accessed 24 May. 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Quest-Gold-Jim-Ryun-Story/product-reviews
/0060670215/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_see_all_top?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=a
vp_only_reviews&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=helpful.
Goodreads.com Rev. of In Quest of Gold: The Jim Ryun Story by Jim Ryun
and Mike Phillips. n.d. Web. Accessed 24 May. 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2031348.In_Quest_of_Gold.
1989
#4. Parker, John. Runners & Other Dreamers. Cedarwinds, Tallahassee,
1989. 211p.
A. Author (1947- )
An American author and once a distance runner, John Parker had
graduated from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism. He has
careers as both a practicing attorney and an editor of Running Times
Magazine. His other works are Again to Carthage (Breakaway, New York,
2007) and Once a Runner (Scribner, New York, 1978).
23
B. Work
1. Genre
Essay and stories
2. Setting
1960s to 1980s
3. Contents
Jim Ryun: A Love Story 1
The Olympics on TeeVee 13
Rare Atmosphere, Astringent Light 23
Again to Carthage 33
Exit the Dragon 43
Smoke and Mirrors 49
A Study in Brown 57
Lost Proportions 67
A Gathering of Legends 73
Sawdust Memories 81
The Howard Cosell Syndrome 89
Still Shorter 95
Watch out for the Women 103
All in the Family 109
When in Greece 119
To Imagine Victory 123
Ghosts on the Trail 135
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For Amy on the Trail, Watching 143
Living and Dying in 3/4 Time 149
Jungle Runner 161
A World of Hurt 167
Bacheler Father 177
An Underdog for All Seasons 191
The True Aerobic Believer 203
4. Plot Summary
The author writes an authentic account of each famous distance
athlete such as Frank Shorter, Jim Ryun and Barry Brown. Parker
introduces their performance at international competitions and the
result. He also writes about their personal life, such as marriage and
strange incidents in daily life. The description of Jim Ryun, for example,
gives the framework of his training and the way he overcame the
disappointment of losing a race with the support of his girlfriend.
Through each chapter this book gives the account of famous
athletes’ personal and athletic lives.
5. Terms
Athletes
Amby Burfoot (1946- ): an American marathoner, winner of the 1968
Boston Marathon, who currently works as an editor of the
Runner’s World.
Benji Durden (1951- ): a former American distance runner. He could
25
not achieve a major result in international competition but was
widely known as one of the successful runners in the U.S.
Frank Shorter (1947- ): a former American distance runner who won
the gold medal in the marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympics, and
who is said to have ignited the running boom in the 1970s.
Gary Fanelli (1950- ): a former American distance runner who twice
competed in the Olympic marathon.
Jack Bacheler (1943- ): a former American distance runner,
specializing in the 5000 m and marathon, who twice went to the
Olympics twice in the 5000m.
Jeff Galloway (1945- ): an American distance runner, who was a
member of the Olympic Team in 1972 at the 10000m. He is an
active runner and the Chief Executive Officer of Galloway
Production.
Jim Fixx (1932- 1984): a former American distance runner, known as
one of the strong advocates for the health benefits of regular
jogging. He died of the heart attack while jogging at the age of
52.
Jim Ryun (1947- ): a former American middle distance runner, a
winner of 1,500m at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, who
was a member of the United States House of Representatives from
1996 to 2007.
Jimmy Carnes (1934- ): a head coach of the U.S. Olympic track and
26
field team and the founder of the Florida Gators track and field
team.
Mary Decker: (1958- ): a former American middle-distance runner,
who set world records in 5000m and 10,000m.
Roger Bannister (1929- ): an English distance runner, who had a
British record in the 1500m and a career as a physician.
Ron Clarke (1937-2015): #3
Sebastian Coe (1956- ): a former British middle distance runner, a
two-time gold medalist at the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games in
the 1500m. He is a member of IOC.
Steve Cram (1960- ): a British middle distance runner, a silver
medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, and currently
working as a television presenter and athletic commentator.
For more information: http://www.stevecram.co.uk
Steve Ovett (1955- ): a former British middle distance runner, a
winner of the 800m at the 1980 Olympic Games.
Athletic Organizations
International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF): an
organization founded in 1912, governing the sport of athletics. The
IAAF gives compensation to athletes for participating in
international competitions.
The Athletics Congress (TAC): an organization founded in 1878,
which governs track and field in the U.S., and currently known as
27
USA Track & Field (USATF).
For more information: http://www.usatf.org/Home.aspx
Major Competitions
San Francisco Marathon: an annual marathon held in San Francisco,
with over 27,000 runners.
For more information: http://www.thesfmarathon.com
Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes
Runner’s high: a feeling of euphoria, experienced by individuals who
engage in strenuous running.
For more information:
http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/how-to-achieve-a-run
ners-high
C. Commentary
Some athletes mentioned in this book have published their
autobiographies, which are mostly about their athletic careers. John Parker
provides biographical information on their personal lives such as marriage,
death of a person close to them, their life after retiring as an athlete. Unlike
autobiography, this book may also give framework of each legendary
athlete.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Runners & Other Dreamers, by John L. Parker. n.d.
28
Web. Accessed 19 March 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Runners-Other-Dreamers-John-Parker/dp/091
5297248.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Runners & Other Dreamers, by John L. Parker. n.d.
Web. Accessed 19 March 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1007232.Runners_Other_
Dreamers.
1990
#5. Lewis, Carl, and Jeffrey Marx. Inside Track: My Professional Life in
Amateur Track and Field. Simon and Schuster, New York, 1990. 240p.
A. Authors
Carl Lewis (1961- )
A former track and field athlete who won nine gold medals at the
Olympics. He was a world record holder in the 100m, 4x100m relay, and
long jump. He is currently becoming an actor and appears in films.
Jeffrey Marx (1963- )
An author who graduated from Northwestern University. When he was
twenty-three years old, “he became the youngest-ever winner of the Pulitzer
29
Prize for investigative reporting”. His other publications are Season of Life:
A Football Star, a Boy, a Journey to Manhood (Simon & Schuster, New
York, 2004), a New York Times bestseller, and The Long Snapper: A Second
Chance, a Super Bowl, a Lesson for Life (HarperOne, New York, 2009).
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
1980s
3. Setting
California, New Jersey
4. Main Characters
Ben Johnson: a Jamaican-born Canadian sprinter, who was a
world-record holder at the 1987 World Championship
Bob Carey: one of Carl’s closest friends
Carl Lewis: a track and field athlete, who set world records in sprint
events and the long jump
Carol Lewis: Carl’s sister, a long jumper who wins many
championships
Don Coleman: a Nike representative
Joe Deloach: Carl’s high school competition
Joe Douglas: Carl’s manager
30
Tom Tellez: Carl’s coach at the University of Houston
William and Evelyn Lawler Lewis: Carl’s father and mother
5. Plot Summary
Carl Lewis writes on his background and memorable
competitions for him, focusing mainly on his athletic life. He also
mentions the drug use issue by Ben Johnson, a Canadian sprinter.
Carl Lewis was born in Birmingham Alabama, the son of
William and Evelyn Lewis. Both were famous athlete: William, a
hurdler, competing in the 1900 Olympics, and Evelyn, a jumper with
an Olympic experience, too. Growing up in a sports family, his athletic
talent already stood out in the childhood. When he was a high school
student, he was good enough to be noticed and, recruited by many
universities. In his collegiate days, he entered the Olympic Games. For
him, 1988’s Olympics in Seoul was unforgettable, where he competed
against Ben Johnson, who was later revealed to be a drug user.
In this book he covers his childhood to adulthood and
emphasizes the issues of drug use and the importance of a clean track
and field community.
6. Terms
Athletes
Allan Wells (1952- ): a former British sprinter, who became a
champion at the 1980 Olympic Games in 100m.
Angela Bailey (1962- ): a former Canadian track and field athlete,
31
who accomplished good results in international competitions.
Ben Johnson (1961- ): a Jamaican-born Canadian sprinter, who was a
world-record holder at the 1987 World Championship.
Bob Beamon (1946- ): #3
Butch Reynolds (1964- ): a former American sprinter, a champion of
the 1993 World Indoor champion, who was later suspended for two
years by the IAAF for the illegal drug use.
Cletus Clark (1962- ): a former American hurdler, a winner at the
World Student Games in 1985 and the Pan American Games in
1991.
Danny Everett (1966- ): a former American 400m runner, a
three-time NCAA winner in the 400m and 4x400mR.
Givanni Evangelisti (1961- ): a former Italian long jumper, known as
an international athlete, wining a bonze medal in the 1984 Olympic
Games.
James Sanford (1957- ): a former American sprinter, a record holder
at 100m until Carl Lewis set a new record.
Joaquim Cruz (1963- ): a former Brazilian middle-distance runner,
winner of the 800m at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games.
Joe DeLoach (1967- ): a former American sprinter, a winner of the
200m at the 1988 Olympic Games.
Kevin Young (1966- ): a former American 400m hurdler, winner at
the 1992 Olympic Games.
32
Leroy Burrell (1967- ): a former American sprinter, who twice set
the world record at 100m.
Linford Christie (1960- ): a former British Jamaican sprinter, who
was banned from competition for the drug use.
Lorenzo Daniel (1966- ): a former American sprinter, known for
setting the 1985 world’s best performance in the 200m.
Mary Decker (1958- ): #4
Ollan Cassell (1937- ): a former American sprinter, winner of a
gold medal in the 4x400mR relay at the 1964 Olympic Games.
After retiring athletics, he became the executive director of the
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).
Sergey Bubka (1963- ): a Ukrainian former pole vaulter who won
six consecutive IAAF World Championships. He was named
Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News.
Athletic Organizations
The Athletics Congress (TAC): #4
Major Competitions
Pan American Games: a major sporting event in the Americans,
usually held in the year before the Summer Olympic Games.
For more information: http://www.toronto2015.org
Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes
Anabolic steroid: #2
33
C. Commentary
The details of Carl Lewis’s background, which provide the way he
thinks about track and field, his character, and what he was like in
childhood, and a rich index, ranging to five pages, are features of this book.
The reputation of this book, however, is relatively low. A few commentators
have said Carl Lewis polishes his image and criticizes his rival, Ben
Johnson, for drug use. Actually, the latter part of book is mainly about drug
use, and the criticism of Ben Johnson is cynically inserted. This book gives
readers a framework for understanding Carl Lewis, but also seems to lend to
criticism of him.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Jeffrey Marx (his own web site): http://www.jeffreymarx.org
Amazon.com. Rev. of Inside Track: My Professional Life in Amateur Track
and Field by Carl Lewis and Jeffrey Marx. n.d. Web. Accessed 24
October 2016.
https://www.amazon.co.jp/Inside-Track-Professional-Amateur-Field/dp
/0671780247/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Inside Track: My Professional Life in Amateur
Track and Field by Carl Lewis and Jeffrey Marx. n.d. Web. Accessed
24 October 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2204001.Inside_Track.
34
1991
#6. Edwards, Louis. Ten Seconds. Graywolf, Minneapolis, 1991. 166p.
A. Author (1962- )
An American author, born in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He has worked
for the public relations offices of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
and the JAZZ Festival-New York. He is also an author of N: A Romantic
Mystery (Dutton, New York, 1997) and Oscar Wilde Discovers America: A
Novel (Scribner, New York, 2003).
B. Work
1. Genre
Novel
2. Period Covered
1980s
3. Setting
Algonquin, Illinois
4. Main Characters
Alemata: Eddie’s ex-girlfriend
Betty: Eddie’s husband
Eddie: the protagonist and sprinter
35
Jackie: Eddie’s little sister
Malcom: Eddie’s best friend
Marcus: Eddie’s older brother
Pam: Malcom’s wife
5. Plot Summary
Eddie is a former sprinter who ran under 10 seconds in the 100m
in high school and now works at an oil refinery. This story is of his
thoughts go back and forth when he was watching a 100m race in high
school. He sees his past and the present while describing the life of an
African-American man in a middle-class community in Louisiana.
First chapter starts when he is 27 years old and finishes when he
is 26. There are ten chapters corresponding to “Ten” Seconds, and in
each chapter he looks back at his memories such as the death of his
best friend, Malcom, an accidental pregnancy, and marriage.
A. Commentary
Book Reviews from Amazon and Goodreads give positive comments on
his way of telling the story, which refrains from stirring up racism. On the
other hand, some criticize his novel as too artificial. The structure of book
is complicated, and in each chapter, the age of protagonist is different,
suddenly going to his high school days and then suddenly back to adulthood,
which causes confusion in following the story.
36
B. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Ten Seconds by Louis Edwards. n.d. Web. Accessed
30 October 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Ten-Seconds-Louis-Edwards/dp/1555971504.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Ten Seconds by Louis Edwards. n.d. Web.
Accessed 30 October 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1557079.Ten_Seconds.
1996
#7. Fraser, Alison. Running Wild. Mills & Boon, Richmond, 1996. 192p.
A. Author (n.d.)
A Scottish author, who studied English literature. She made a living
as a computer programmer while taking up writing. Her topic on a novel is
mainly about love, and her other works are Love without Reason (Mills &
Boon, Richmond, 1994), His Mistress's Secret (Harlequin, Toronto, 2003)
and A Man worth Knowing (Mills & Boon, London).
37
B. Work
1. Genre
Novel
2. Period Covered
1980s
3. Setting
Radford, Virginia
4. Main Characters
Abby Delany: Whit’s daughter
Alex Delaney: Whit’s father, a professor at Radford College
Kipling Wilson: a student and an athlete at Radford College
Whit Delaney: Alex’s son, also a professor at Radford College
5. Plot Summary
This is a love story of Kipling Wilson and Whit Delaney finally
falling in love. Kipling Wilson is a talented distance athlete and a
scholarship student at Radford College in Massachusetts. One day in
essay class, professor Whit Delaney, who teaches English literature,
notices her. He suspects that she is illiterate when he sees her submitted
essay, which he makes sure she is.
He begins to tutor her at his home, and he is fascinated by her.
She also has a similar feeling for him. She ignores her emotions, which
disturbs her daily training. After graduation, she pursues her further
athletic career, and they do not meet for a year. One day, however, at
38
the press interview after she wins a big race, he sees her. They both
recollect the time they spent together, are filled with love, and finally
get married.
C. Commentary
This romance is unlike most works in running literature, which
usually describe a serious male athlete and are written by a man author.
Kipling, the protagonist in the book, is a woman athlete serious about
winning a gold medal in the Olympic Games, and she is described by a
woman author. Since the characters in most works are the same sex as the
author, this book the role as a pioneer for a woman entering a
male-dominated sports world.
Kipling also shows an aspect of feminism. Her family dies when she is
little. In her daily life, she trains and does everything by herself, even
refusing the professor’s help. Such a story, a female protagonist is likely to
be feminist.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Running Wild by Alison Fraser. n.d. Goodreads.com
Web. Accessed 1 March 2016.
http://www.amazon.com/Running-Wild-Alison-Fraser/dp/0263148203/r
ef=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456791907&sr=1-3&keywords=r
unning+wild+alison.
39
Goodreads.com Rev. of Running Wild by Alison Fraser. n.d.
Goodreads.com Web. Accessed 1 March 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4666680-running-wild.
#8. Krull, Kathleen, and David Díaz. Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma
Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman. Harcourt Brace, San Diego,
1996. 44p.
A. Author & Illustrator
Author Kathleen Krull (1952- )
An American author of children’s books, born in Fort Leonard Wood,
Missouri, who studied music at Northwestern University and earned a B.A.
from Lawrence University in Wisconsin. She works at Western Publishing
as a children’s book editor.
Illustrator David Díaz (1960- )
An American illustrator of children’s book, a winner of the Caldecott
Medal. His other major work is David Díaz: Círculo De Bellas Artes, Mayo
1997 (Círculo De Bellas Artes, Madrid, 1997).
B. Work
1. Genre
Biography
40
2. Period Covered
1940 to 1994
3. Setting
Saint Bethlehem, Nashville, and Clarksville, Tennessee
4. Main Characters
Wilma Rudolph: an American sprinter
Ed Rudolph: Wilma’s father, a railway porter
Blanche Rudolph: Wilma’s mother, who works as a maid
Coach Gray: Burt High School track coach
Mildred Jones: Coach Gray’s close friend
Mrs. Walter: Wilma’s fiend
Coach Edward Temple: Tennessee State University track coach
5. Plot Summary
This is a biography of Wilma Rudolph, an African American
sprinter who won a gold medal in three events, 100m, 200m and 4x100m
relay, at the Rome Summer Olympics in 1960.
Wilma Rudolph, called as “The Black Pearl”, was fragile, often
catching a cold in her childhood. When she was four years old, she
contracted polio, infantile paralysis, causing muscle weakness seen
especially in her legs. The disease troubled her badly: she could not
walk and because of the disease she was not allowed to go to school.
She wore a brace on her leg and foot and often had to go to a hospital
for African-Americans. After years of treatment, she recovered
41
successfully from the disease.
In high school she joined the basketball team and she was a good
player. Her performance, and talent attracts a track and field coach at
Tennessee State University. When she went to college, she trained
under the coach, and is chosen for the national team.
This book describes her athletic life, how she recuperated from
sickness, and how she became a world champion in track and field.
C. Commentary
This book deals not only with her athletic life, her struggles and
achievements leading to her becoming the number-one sprinter in the world,
but also gives the reader insight to social issues, especially race and gender,
at that time. As an African-American athlete and a woman, she often feels
an inequality and these instances are described in the book in various ways
such as the following: “Wilma took the bus to the nearest hospital that
would treat black patients” (9), and “Women weren’t thought to run very
well, anyway; track-and-field was considered as a sport for men” (27).
This book is intended for children in elementary school, but these
examples provide knowledge of how African-American and women were
treated at that time through the description of a well-known athlete.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the
42
World's Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull. n.d. Web. Accessed 8 June
2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Wilma-Unlimited-Rudolph-Became-Fastest/d
p/0152020985.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the
World's Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull. n.d. Web. Accessed 8 June
2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/532854.Wilma_Unlimited.
#9. Jordan, Tom. Pre: The Story of American’s Greatest Running Legend,
Steve Prefontaine. Rodale Books, Emmaus, PA, 1997. 168p.
A. Author (n.d.)
An American author and the Meet Director of the Prefontaine Classic,
a track and field competition held at the University of Oregon. His other
work is The Lady of the Frogs (Didymus Pub., Galveston, TX, 1990).
B. Work
1. Genre
Biography
2. Period Covered
1960s
43
3. Setting
Eugene, Oregon
4. Main Characters
Steve Prefontaine: an American distance runner, the protagonist
Bill Bowerman: Steve’s track coach, a founder of Nike Inc.
Raymond and Elfriede Prefontaine: Steve’s father and mother
Walt McClure: Steve’s high school track coach
5. Plot Summary
This is a biography of Steve Prefontaine, a well-known distance
runner, with a description on his personal and athletic life.
Steve Prefontaine was born in 1951 in Coos Bay, Oregon. When
he was in high school, he set a national high school record in the
two-mile. After entering the University of Oregon, he started training
under Coach Bill Bowerman, a national record holder in distance events
and a founder of Nike Inc. His way of running, always running in front,
attracted the attention of athletes and fans, and he soon became
recognized as one of the most popular athletes in the USA.
Sadly, his life ended suddenly. When he was just twenty-four
years old, he was killed in a car crash. Even after his sudden death,
which shock not just Oregon but all of America, he has remained a
running legend.
This work includes the framework of Prefontaine’s life: his
studious character, his personal and athletic life, and his running feats.
44
C. Commentary
Steve Prefontaine was so popular all over the USA that a movie was
made in 1977. In spite of his popularity, this biography was not published
until 1997. This book also shares the secret of his popularity, his
accomplishments as an athlete and his sudden death by car accident, so it
has become one of the sources for letting readers know him.
Some reviews, unfortunately, make negative comments about the
writer’s style. In spite of Steve Prefontaine’s fame, the author writes rather
monotonously about a dynamic personality.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Pre: The Story of America's Greatest Running Legend,
Steve Prefontaine by Tom Jordan. n.d. Web. Accessed 23 March 2016.
http://www.amazon.com/Pre-Americas-Greatest-Running-Prefontaine/d
p/0875964575/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Pre: The Story of America's Greatest Running
Legend, Steve Prefontaine by Tom Jordan. n.d. Web. Accessed 23
March 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/112146.Pre?from_search=true
&search_version=service.
45
1998
#10. Middleman, Dan. Pain. Tafnews, Mountain View, CA, 1998. 232p.
A. Author (1969- )
An American author and a former long-distance runner who
represented the U.S.A., born in Westbury, New York, and graduated from
North Carolina State University with a Master’s degree in Education. He
currently works for an elementary school.
B. Work
1. Genre
Novel
2. Period Covered
1995
3. Setting
Arboretum, Florida
4. Main Characters
Alex Anderson and Jeff Rubin: Richard’s teammates
Coach Frank Devil: head track and field coach
Jeff Rubin: a distance runner, Richard’s friend
Richard Anthony: a distance runner, Richard’s rival
46
Richard Dubin: a distance runner, the protagonist
Susan Connor: Richard’s girlfriend
5. Plot Summary
This is a story of Richard Dubin, a distance runner who has won
national championships, focusing on his senior year in a university in
the South.
Richard Dubin trains under coach Devil, and his performance
culminates in winning the Olympic Trials while overcoming extreme
nervousness before the competition.
In spite of his performance on the track, he is forced into
misconduct by his teammates, doing things, which are not suitable for
elite athletes such as excessive alcohol intake and doing a keg stand.
In his personal life, he manages to balance the relationship with Susan
Connor.
This book describes not only his athletic life, both training and
off-training, but also his personal life, mostly the relationship with his
girlfriend.
6. Terms
Athletes
Dan Middleman (1969- ): a former American distance runner. His
record ranking in 10,000m was second.
Athletic Organizations
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA): an organization to
47
promote the athletic programs of colleges and universities in the
United States and Canada.
For more information: http://www.ncaa.com
C. Commentary
Dan Middleman had read John L. Parker’s Once a Runner, and, as
some reviewers points out, the story and the structure remind readers of
Parker’s book. Readers who have already read Parker’s book will not feel
any freshness from this book. Middleman also describes negative aspects in
a university’s track and field program, such as compliance to the coach and
excessive drinking, which makes readers uncomfortable, and this book may
not be suited for those who want to gain inspiration and courage.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Pain by Dan Middleman. n.d. Web. Accessed 7
November 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Pain-Dan-Middleman/dp/1425932908.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Pain by Dan Middleman. n.d. Web. Accessed 7
November 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1687954.Pain.
48
2000
#11. Burfoot, Amby. The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life. Rodale,
Emmaus, PA, 2000. 150p.
A. Author (1946- )
Born in Groton, Connecticut, an American marathoner, winner of the
Boston Marathon in 1968, author and running journalist, who graduated
from Wesleyan University. He is also a publisher of Runner's World
Complete Book of Running: Everything You Need to Know to Run for Fun,
Fitness, and Competition (Rodale, Emmaus, 1997) and Runner's World
Complete Book of Beginning Running (Rodale, Emmaus, 2005).
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
1963 to 1998
3. Setting
Gorton, Connecticut
4. Main Characters
Amby Burfoot: a marathoner, the protagonist
49
Charlie Doc Robbins: Amby’s mentor; psychiatrist, also a runner
Gray: Amby’s brother, a runner who occasionally runs with him
John J. Kelley: Amby’s high school track coach
5. Plot Summary
Amby Burfoot shares his athletic life, the value of running and a
runner’s essential traits.
Burfoot started running when he was a high school student at
Flitch Senior High School, where John J. Kelly, a famous coach, who
was twice a member of the U.S. Olympic marathon team, track and
field. He built up his strength under Coach Kelley. He entered
Wesleyan University, and he won the Boston Marathon. While his
athletic fame grew, one doubt occurred in his mind: “Why run?” He
realized running made anxiety or disappointment fade out, but it also
taught him “to value the individual-our self”. Amby Bufoot “explains
that winners are not those who cross the finish line first, but rather
those willing to discover more about themselves with every step” (15).
In this book, he describes his leaning through his athletic life.
6. Terms
Athletes
Bill Rodgers (1947- ): an American distance runner and a record
holder of the Boston Marathon.
For more information:
http://www.billrodgersrunningcenter.com/privacypolicy.html
50
Clarence DeMar (1888-1958): an American marathoner, born in
Maedeira, Ohio who was a winner of the Boston Marathon seven
times and who won a bronze medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics.
Emil Zatopek (1922- ): a distance runner, who is best known for
winning three gold medals at the 1952 Summer Olympics in
Helsinki.
Frank Shorter (1947- ): #4
Joan Samuelson (1957- ): a marathoner, born in Cape Elizabeth, who
won a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles,
when the women’s marathon was introduced.
John J. Kelley (1930-2011): a winner of the Boston Marathon in 1957
who was born in Norwich, Connecticut. He was a member of two
United States Olympic Marathon teams
Roberta Gibb (1942- ): the first female Boston Marathon finisher,
and broke prejudices and misconceptions about female athletic
capability.
Major Competitions
Boston Marathon: a marathon held in Eastern Massachusetts, which is
known as one of six World Marathon Majors, attracting over
50,000 runners.
For more information:
http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon.aspx
Comrades Marathon: a marathon held annually in South Africa.
51
Marine Corps Marathon (MCM): a marathon usually called “The
People’s Marathon”, which does not offer prize money, held in
Arlington, VA.
New York City Marathon: an annual marathon, one of the largest
marathons, which usually attracts over 50,000 runners, organized
by the New York Road Runners Club.
For more information: http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org
St. George Marathon: a marathon held annually in St. George, Utah,
the 13th largest marathon in the United States.
For more information: http://www.stgeorgemarathon.com
U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials: a race that decides the members of
the Olympic Marathon team, which gets an entry qualification for
the top three finishers who have already met the Olympic A
standard.
For more information: http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org
C. Commentary
This book can be enjoyed in two aspects, one is as an autobiography
of Amby Bufoot, and other is as an introduction to numerous famous
athletes. In this book, he introduces eleven athlete’s achievements and brief
personal backgrounds from his perspective. He also writes about his process
of realizing the true value of running, and he inserts some chapters about the
essential five traits of a runner, -patience, balance, stoicism, respect, and
52
humility-the music of running for motivation, and quotations by famous
runners. Readers can learn about famous athletes at his time, and his
thoughts on the value on running.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amby Burfoot (his own page): http://www.ambyburfoot.com
Amazon.com. Rev. of The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life by Amby
Burfoot. n.d. Web. Accessed 16 October 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Runners-Guide-Meaning-Life/dp/160239185.
Goodreads.com Rev. of The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life by
Amby Burfoot. n.d. Web. Accessed 16 October 2016.
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/56445.Amby_Burfoot.
#12. Murphy, Frank. A Cold Clear Day: The Athletic Biography of Buddy
Edelen. Wind Sprint, Kansas City, KS, 2000. 202p.
A. Author (n.d.)
An author, runner and cross-country coach at Rockhurst College in
Kansas City, h is also a practicing attorney and an instructor in sociology at
the University of Missouri at Kansas City.
53
B. Work
1. Genre
Biography
2. Period Covered
1950s to 1970s
3. Setting
Minneapolis, Minnesota; Alamosa, Colorado
4. Main Characters
Buddy Edelen: a marathoner and the protagonist
Fred Wilt: Buddy’s track coach
Glenda: Buddy’s wife
5. Plot Summary
This is a biography of Buddy Edelen that provides a description
of his personal and athletic life. Buddy is an American athlete, born in
1937 and died in 1997, who sets a marathon world record. After his
remarkable collegiate days at the University of Minnesota, he keeps
seeking to improve his ability, and he moves to Essex, England, for
further training.
In Essex, he starts working as a teacher but also trains under
Coach Fred Wilt, a long-distance specialist. He adapts to his new life,
doing both teaching job and his training in spite of combatting fatigue
of training after work, which is a great burden on him, and his
performance gets better on the track and in the marathon. While he lives
54
in England, he is the first man to run a marathon within 2 hours and 15
minutes, and he becomes an Olympian, representing the U.S. in
Tokyo-held Summer Olympics. The author of this book writes about
Edelen’s personal life but also about the way he kept training after
graduation and while working as a teacher.
6. Terms
Athletes
Abebe Bikila (1932-1973): #1
Arther Newton (1883-1950): an American Olympian, specializing in
long-distance races, a fourth-place finisher at the 1900 Olympic
Marathon.
For more information:
http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ne/arthur-new
ton-1.html
Fred Wilt (1920-1994): an American long-distance runner, winning
the James E. Sullivan Award for Best Amateur Athlete in 1950.
For more information:
http://www.runnersworld.com/running-times-info/fred-wilt-fbi-th
e-double-agent-of-running
Juan Zabala (1911-1983): an American long-distance runner, a
winner of 1932 Olympic Marathon in Los Angeles.
Kenneth McArthur (1881-1960): a winner at the Summer Olympics
in 1912, who is called a noted athlete in the United States.
55
Paavo Nurmi (1897-1973): #1
Thomas Hick (1876-1952): a Britain distance runner who used
strychnine and brandy before races, which disqualify him in
modern games
Major Competitions
Boston Marathon: #11
Polytechnic Marathon (Polly): a marathon held annually in London
and the first marathon, which was required to run regularly over
26 miles.
For more information:
http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafathletics/history/polytechnicmarathon.
com
Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes
Anemia: a symptom common for distance runners. Anemia is a
condition that reduces in hemoglobin, which causes dizziness,
sickness and apathy.
For more information:
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-anemia-basic
s#1
C. Commentary
This biography can be read in various ways, about the aspects of
knowing consciousness for sports among people at that time and as a
56
training book.
After moving to England, Edelen has no choice but to earn his own
living, for the society at that time could not afford to pay money to recruit
athletes, and most athletes were assumed to have to work after graduating
from college. The description of the consciousness for sports gives the
reader a framework on its standpoint at that time.
This book also contains a detailed weekly training schedule, which is
not uncommon to other running works. The workouts he did are similar or
the same as modern training ways, giving us knowledge of training
programs back then. Through his life-long story, this book can give a
framework on recognition of sports and on a major training program
common for distance runners.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Frank Murphy (his own website): http://frankmurphy.webs.com
Amazon.com. Rev. of A Cold Clear Day: The Athletic Biography of Buddy
Edelen by Frank Murphy. n.d. Web. Accessed 5 February 2016.
http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Clear-Day-Frank-Murphy/dp/073510399
2.
Goodreads.com Rev. of A Cold Clear Day: The Athletic Biography of Buddy
Edelen by Frank Murphy. n.d. Web. Accessed 5 February 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2072461.A_Cold_Clear_Day.
57
2002
#13. Battista, Garth, editor. How Running Changed My Life: True Stories
of the Power of Running. Breakaway Books, Halcottsville, 2002. 272p.
A. Editor (n.d.)
An American author and an editor of The Runner's Literary
Companion: Great Stories and Poems about Running (Penguin Books, New
York) and The Runner's High: Illumination and Ecstasy in Motion
(Breakaway Books, Halcottsville).
B. Work
1. Genre
Essay and stories
2. Setting
2000s
3. Contents
John’s Vision by A.R. Ligon 7
Runner without a Cause by Craig Boyer 11
Dear Dad by Rita Stumps 17
The Runner by J. Maxwell Cook 21
In His Footsteps by Gerry Lavin 25
58
The Long Flat Mountain by Holly Keith 31
Zen and the Art of Marathon Running by Matthew Strozier 35
Running for My Life by Erin Murphy 39
Track by Cheri Johnson 43
The Circuitous Route Home by David Stockwell 47
Right Foot, Left Foot by Karen Beuerlein 51
Tree of Hope by Vickie Bates 57
Success Story by Michael Jewell 63
Running in the Bronx by Odilia Rivera 67
Some Day by Beth Pollack 69
Runners and Children by Karen Kirkham 73
Beautiful Gazelle by Abha Iyengar 77
Run to Life by Toby Tanser 81
On the Road by Ken Delano 87
Fifty More Yards by Walter Stoneham 91
What Is She Running from? by Jeannine Bergers Everett 95
Forever Changed, Forever Runner by Amy Abern 101
Sir John by Muhammad Shehzad Hanif 105
The Trail by Kerry A. Gildea 113
Going to the Chapel by Jennifer Rucinski 119
A Runner’s El Dorado by Joe Crisp 125
One Block at a Time by Lori Dinkins 129
The Run by C.A. Robert 133
59
Grace Asked Me to Dance by Jane McDermott 137
Life is too Short by Kami Holt 141
Everything I Need to Know I Learned from
Cross-Country Running by Anne Thornton 151
Eat My Dust by Kelley Leonardo 155
Just Keep Moving by Joanne Moniz 161
Running Lessons by Kim Krolak 165
Tomorrow might not be the Same by Mina Foster 171
Mo(u)rning Run by Courtney E. Cole 175
Hustle by Matt Dinniman 179
Compulsory Exercise by Dean Liscum 183
Runner by Sharon Reidy 189
Just Play by Christy Thomas 193
Running and Wings by Sally Blue Wakeman 197
Running with Time by Roger Hart 201
4. Plot Summary
This book contains forty-three stories told by amateur and
professional runners and edited by Garth Battista, who also edited The
Runner’s Literary Companion. These tales are about the reason writers
start running and the meaning of running in their lives. Some writers,
for example, run to quit drinking, escape from danger, seek mental
stability, lose weight, and develop self-esteem.
They write about their experience of human transformation
60
through running. One woman, who has a complex about her appearance,
takes up running and comes to develop self-esteem. One boy, who starts
running on the advice of a schoolteacher, becomes a national
marathoner.
Every level and age-runners share memorable incidents in their
lives and in the experience of transformation thorough running.
C. Commentary
The collected stories are mostly about success as an athlete, but this
book focuses on the process and its result, and they are written by runners of
every level both amateur and professional. Their purpose for running is
different, but the writers feel same way-they have all experienced
transformation through running. You can see the approach to change
through running. It is also clear that running has become one of the common
sports.
Some stories, however, are far from a runner’s life and told in an
exaggerated way but also the difference of writing ability depends on each
author. As a result, some stories seem well-written and easy to read but
others are not.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of How Running Changed My Life: True Stories of the
Power of Running by Garth Battista. n.d. Web. Accessed 27. December
61
2015.
http://www.amazon.com/Cold-Clear-Day-Frank-Murphy/dp/073510399
2.
Goodreads.com Rev. of How Running Changed My Life: True Stories of
the Power of Running by Garth Battista. n.d. Web. Accessed 27.
December 2015.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1176410.How_Running_Chan
ged_My_Life.
#14. Beardsley, Dick, and Maureen Anderson. Staying the Course: A
Runner’s Toughest Race. U of Minnesota P, Minneapolis, 2004. 224p.
A. Authors
Dick Beardsley (1959- )
An American distance runner and an author of this book, who was
born in Minneapolis and graduated from South Dakota State University. He
is currently working as a motivational speaker. In his athletic career, he was
twice an Olympic Trials qualifier and the winner of many marathons; his
records in the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth and the Napa Valley Marathon
have still not been broken.
Maureen Anderson (n.d.)
Author, born in Nottinghamshire, who was one of the Angry Young
62
Men. His writing theme is usually angry accounts of working-class life. In
his adolescence, he listed in the air force and served as a radio operator.
He also written Down from the Hill (Granada, London, 1984) and Leading
the Blind: A Century of Guidebook Travel, 1815-1914 (Macmillan, London,
1995).
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
1970s to 1990s
3. Setting
Minneapolis, Minnesota
4. Main Characters
Bob Frandsen: Dick’s friend and a teammate
Dick Beardsley: the protagonist, a distance runner
Garry Bjorklund: Dick’s friend and a runner
George: Dick’s best friend
Joe: George’s father
Mary Hausmann: Dick’s wife
Scott Underwood: a track coach at South Dakota State University
5. Plot Summary
This is an autobiography of Dick Beardsley, a distance runner,
63
describing his personal and athletic life.
He begins running following a suggestion by George, his
best friend. His major success as an athlete continues after his
the university days. After graduation, he keeps running while
he works on a farm, where he suffers a serious injury when he is
entangled in an auger. Even though he recovers, unfortunate
accidents happen one after another. He never yields to the
various situations and keeps running.
In this book he shares his memory from childhood to
adulthood and his challenge to keeping running while
overcoming difficulties.
6. Terms
Major Competitions
Chevron Houston Marathon: an annual marathon held in Houston,
Texas, which attracts over 13,000 runners.
For more information: http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com
London Marathon: an annual marathon founded by Chris Brasher and
John Disley, the former Olympians and sponsored by Virgin
Money London Marathon.
For more information:
https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/
Boston Marathon: #11
New York City Marathon: #11
64
Training Methods
Fartlek: a run with variable pace, usually for a distance runner.
Tempo runs: a fast-paced workout, which improves a crucial
physiological variable for metabolic fitness.
Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes
Achilles Tendonitis: #3
Anemia: #12
C. Commentary
This work focuses on both the athletic and personal lives of Dick
Beardsley. Even though he establishes fame as an athlete, he does not seek
only fame but manages well to work and train. Famous athletes in most
sports usually choose only the burden of a professional athlete. Dick,
however, chooses to work at a job in parallel with his athletic career, which
is a unique point in running literature. This book gives a new view of one
athlete’s way of living.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Dick Beardsley (his own web page): http://www.dickbeardsley.com
Amazon.com. Rev. of Staying the Course: A Runner’s Toughest Race, by
Dick Beardsley and Maureen Anderson. n.d. Web. Accessed 13 April
2016.
http://www.amazon.com/Staying-The-Course-Runners-Toughest/dp/08
65
16637598.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Staying the Course: A Runner’s Toughest Race, by
Dick Beardsley and Maureen Anderson. n.d. Web. Accessed 13 April
2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/732117.Staying_The_Course.
#15. Bloom, Marc. God on the Starting Line. Breakaway, Halcottsville,
2004. 240p.
A. Author
Mark Bloom (n.d.)
An American author, a contributor to Runner’s World, a writer at The
New York Times and a runner. He coached cross-country in high school for
20 years and was also the founder of Nike Cross Nationals and the Great
American Cross Country Festival. His other publications are Young
Runner's Handbook: A Guide for Young Runners and Their Parents (Kinney
Shoe, New York, 1979) and The Runner's Bible (Broadway Books, New
York, 1985).
B. Work
1. Genre
Essay
66
2. Period Covered
1994 to 2004
3. Setting
Belmar, New Jersey
4. Main Characters
Andrea: Bloom’s wife and an elementary school teacher
Bill Jasko: a girl’s cross-country coach
Bloom Marc: a runner and cross-country coach at St. Rose High School
Justin Gallagher, Ryan Lavender, Bock Silvestri, Michael Solobello,
John Leschak, Michael Dunn and Chris Ruhl: members of the
cross-country team
5. Plot Summary
This is a story of the cross-country team at one high school,
which becomes a state champion, training under Coach Marc Bloom.
Marc Bloom, who has never been a coach before in spite of
having an experience as a runner and also being a contributor to
Runner’s World, is asked to coach at St. Rose High School. He decides
to accept the position and starts recruiting runners. All runners he
gathers are not necessary said to be elite, and they prefer hanging out
with friends to training.
Bloom writes about his experience from the first step of
recruiting runners to leading the team to the state championship. He
67
also shares his difficulties as a Jewish coach at a Catholic school.
6. Terms
Athletes
Eamonn Coghlan (1952- ): a former Irish long-distance runner, a
three-time Olympian, who specialized in the 5,000m.
Major Competitions
New York City Marathon: #11
C. Commentary
There are few books by coaches in the collected books in this project.
Narrated by a coach, this book seems to give a new way of describing on
each runner. Most running books are written by an athlete or a biographer.
Bloom had never coached cross-country, and the runners at the school
are all novices at running. Both coach and runners grow up together as the
coach trains them and they come to train seriously. In this respect, readers
can enjoy reading this book as a different description of runners told by
their coach, but also as an initiation story. As some reviews say, however,
this book is not suited for readers looking for a secret of strength.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of God on the Starting Line: The Triumph of a Catholic
School Running Team and Its Jewish Coach by Marc Bloom. n.d. Web.
Accessed 11 November 2016.
68
https://www.amazon.com/God-Starting-Line-Triumph-Catholic/product
-reviews/1891369741/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_see_all_top?ie=UTF8&reviewe
rType=all_reviews&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=helpful.
Goodreads.com Rev. of God on the Starting Line: The Triumph of a
Catholic School Running Team and Its Jewish Coach by Marc Bloom.
n.d. Web. Accessed 11 November 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1523357.God_on_the_Starting
_Line.
#16. Harper, Jo, and Meryl Henderson. Wilma Rudolph: Olympic Runner.
Aladdin Paperbacks, New York, 2004. 192p.
A. Author & Illustrator
Author Jo Harper (n.d.)
A former English, Spanish and ESL teacher who graduated from
Texas Tech University with BA and MA degree. She currently teaches
children’s literature at Houston Community College. She is also a member
of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Her other
publications are The Legend of Mexicatl (Turtle, New York, 1998), Finding
Daddy: A Story of the Great Depression (Turtle, New York, 2005) and I
Could Eat You Up! (Holiday House, New York, 2007).
Illustrator Meryl Henderson (n.d.)
69
An illustrator of children’s books, she graduated from Syracuse
University, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She currently works as a
freelance illustrator in New York City. She has illustrated over sixty
educational books. Her other works are Bats!: Strange and Wonderful
(Boyds Mills, Honesdale, PA, 2000), Snakes! (Boyds Mills, Honesdale, PA,
2004) and Penguins! (Boyds Mills, Honesdale, PA, 2007).
B. Work
1. Genre
Biography
2. Period Covered
1940 to 1994
3. Setting
Saint Bethlehem, Nashville, and Clarksville, Tennessee
4. Main Characters
Blanche Rudolph: Wilma’s mother, who works as a maid
Coach Edward Temple: Tennessee State University track coach
Coach Gray: Burt High School track coach
Ed Rudolph: Wilma’s father, a railway porter
Mildred Jones: Coach Gray’s close friend
Mrs. Walter: Wilma’s friend
Wilma Rudolph: an American sprinter
5. Plot Summary
70
This is a biography of Wilma Rudolph in eighteen chapters,
which follows her lifetime from her childhood to her death.
Wilma Rudolph was an African-American sprinter, and the first
American woman to win three gold medals at the 1960 Rome Olympic
Games. She is feeble in her childhood; she has polio, a crippling
disease, which makes it impossible to walk. She overcomes her
hardship with the aid of a metal leg brace and is finally able to walk
unaided at the age of twelve. She trains under Coach Edward Temple,
who is famous as a women’s track and field pioneer, and becomes an
Olympian who wins three gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and
4x100mR at the 1960 Rome Olympic Games. After retirement, she
becomes an elementary school teacher and died at brain tumor.
In this biography, her childhood when she overcomes disease
and her life as a professional athlete are described.
6. Terms
Athletes
Wilma Rudolph (1940-1994): an African-American sprinter, the first
American woman to win three gold medals in the 100m, 200m and
4x100mR.
For more information:
http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ro-Sc/Rudolph-Wilma.html
Betty Cuthbert (1938- ): a former Australian sprinter, a world
record holder in the 200m at the 1956 Olympic Games.
71
For more information:
http://athletics.com.au/Athletes/Hall-of-Fame/Betty-Cuthbert
Jutta Heine (1940- ): a former German sprinter, a silver medalist at
the 1960 Rome Olympic Games in 200m and 4x100mR, who
experienced her first Olympic when she was nineteen years old.
For more information:
http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/he/jutta-heine
-1.html
Dorothy Hyman (1941- ): a former British sprinter, who won a
silver medal in the 100m and a bronze medal in the 200m at the
1960 Rome Olympic Games, and who was voted Britain’s Sports
Personality of the Year in 1963.
For more information:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/sheffield/hi/people_and_places/newsi
d_8393000/8393850.stm
Martha Hudson (1939- ): a former American sprinter, a member of
4x100mR with Wilma Rudolph, who won a gold medal at 1960
Rome Olympic Games in the 4x100mR.
For more information:
http://bakerstreet.wikia.com/wiki/Martha_Louise_Hudson
Barbara Jones (1973- ): a former American sprinter, a winner in the
100m and 4x100mR at the 1955 Pan American Games in Mexico
City.
72
For more information:
http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/jo/barbara-jo
nes-1.html
C. Commentary
This book is for children, but the detailed description of Wilma
Rudolph’s life is informative, not only for children but also adult readers.
An interesting point in this book is that description of segregation.
Wilma, who has polio in childhood, must go to a hospital 90 mile from her
house twice a week because a nearby hospital was only for whites. She also
played basketball in high school, but her team travels, they are forced to
stay in different housing from white teams. These descriptions of her
lifetime full of racial barriers give readers a framework of one athletes’ life
but also depicts the historical background of racial segregation in the South.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Wilma Rudolph: Olympic Runner by Jo Harper and
Meryl Henderson. n.d. Web. Accessed 23 August 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Wilma-Rudolph-Olympic-Childhood-Americ
ans/product-reviews/0689858736/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_see_all_top?ie=UT
F8&reviewerType=avp_only_reviews&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=
helpful.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Wilma Rudolph: Olympic Runner by Jo Harper and
73
Meryl Henderson. n.d. Web. Accessed 23 August 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1122224.Wilma_Rudolph#othe
r_reviews.
Ussporthistory.com. “Sport in American History”. “Wilma Rudolph’s
Scars and Star” 27 July 2015. Cat Ariail. Accessed 23 August 2016.
https://ussporthistory.com/2015/07/27/you-get-scars-deep-inside-you-t
hat-sometimes-never-heal-wilma-rudolph-and-the-lived-experiences-of
-female-athletic-icons/.
#17. Heminsley, Alexandra. Running like a Girl: Notes on Learning to
Run. Scribner, New York, 2004. 210p.
A. Author
A journalist and broadcaster who became a writer after six years of
experience as a publisher. Her other publication is Ex and the City: You’re
Nobody ‘til Somebody Dumps You (Pan Macmillan, London, 2008).
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
2000s
74
3. Setting
London, England
4. Main Characters
Alexandra Heminsley: a runner, the protagonist
Alexandra’s family
5. Plot Summary
This is a story told by Alexandra Heminsley, who begins running
following her father’s one suggestion, and as she trains for a
competition, she becomes fascinated by her sense of accomplishment
through running.
One day, her family gathers. Her father suggests that she takes
part in the London Marathon, one at the world’s largest marathons. She
starts training hesitantly at first. As she trains, she confronts some
difficulties: weight-control, food she should be eating, and the way to
sustain her attitude. The result of her continual efforts can lead her to
achieve her purpose of running the whole distance. After running the
marathon, she decides to participate in the London marathon again
while working. In this book, she writes about her thoughts on running,
its influence on her life, and her new challenge.
6. Terms
Following terms are quoted from the book.
Injuries
75
Iliotibial Band Syndrome:
“By a significant margin, this is the most common source of pain for regular runners, particularly long-distance runners. The iliotibial band is a fascia that runs down the length of the outer thigh from hip to knee. The repetitive action of running can put a large amount of stress on it, causing it to tighten and shorten after runs that are longer than half an hour or so” (166).
Plantar Fasciitis:
“A pain in the heel and sole of the foot that creates a realistic sensation of either running barefoot on hot coals or wearing through your heel altogether” (168).
Achilles Tendinopathy:
“It is actually a physiological change in the tendon fibers at the back of the ankle, caused by repetitive overload on the area. When the
Achilles tendon is overloaded, the body recognizes that it is under increased stress and starts to change its fiber composition…This causes the stiffness and pain that many runners are familiar with” (170).
Piriformis syndrome:
“The piriformis is a relatively tiny muscle that sits between the other gluteal muscles in the buttocks. One of the problems with the muscle is that it sits right over the sciatic nerve, so when someone is diagnosed with sciatica or back pain, she is sometimes suffering from
76
an overactive piriformis muscle” (171).
Ankle sprain:
“An ankle sprain is the result of placing your foot incorrectly and
turning it over as you wobble off a pavement or out of a car…The sprain
refers to rolling the foot inward so that the underside of the foot turns in
and the structures on the outer part of the ankle are massively
overstretched” (171).
C. Commentary
The uniqueness of this book is that Heminsley writes about her daily
events in detail: her running gear, running shoes, the course she ran and her
feeling at that time. The other interesting point in this book is that she
introduces tips as to running: running myths, choosing the proper running
shoes, running style, things convenient for an emergency, and probable
injuries. This book can be enjoyed for her story itself, but it also gives a lot
of basic knowledge about running.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Running like a Girl: Notes on Learning to Run by
Alexandra Heminsley. n.d. Web. Accessed 21 October 2015.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/running-like-a-girl-alexandra-hemi
nsley/1114818938?ean=9781451697179.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Running like a Girl: Notes on Learning to Run by
77
Alexandra Heminsley. n.d. Web. Accessed 21 October 2015.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17307704-running-like-a-
girl.
#18. Radcliffe, Paula, and David Walsh. Paula Radcliffe: The
Autobiography. Simon & Schuster, New York, 2004. 400p.
A. Authors
Paula Radcliffe (1973- )
A British long distance runner, who graduated from Loughborough
University with a degree of modern language. After graduation, she devoted
herself to running.
David Walsh (1955- )
Irish journalists and the chief sports writer for the Sunday Times. He
was awarded UL Sportswriter and Irish Sportswriter of the Year.
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
1969 to 2005
3. Setting
78
Barnton, Cheshire, and Oakley, Bedfordshire
4. Main Characters
Coach Alex Stanton: Paula’s track and field coach
Gary Lough: Paula’s husband
Germaine Hilditch: Paula’s friend who invites her to join an athletic
club
Liz Yelling: Paula’s close friend
Olive Radcliffe: Paula’s grandmother
Paula: a long distance runner, the protagonist
Pete and Pat: Paula’s father and mother
5. Plot Summary
Paula Radcliffe tells the story of her childhood, when she started
running, and after becoming a professional athlete.
Paula, who grew up in Bedford, was raised in a sports family. Pat,
her mother, supports Pete, her father, for training. Paula follows her
father, running along with him at the age of four. In elementary school,
Germaine Hilditch, her friend, suggests that she join a track and field
club. She entered her first competition and finished in second place,
when she was six years old. She later wins the World Junior
Cross-Country Championship. She aims at being a professional athlete
and starts training under Coach Stanton.
In her university days, she had already become an internationally
famous athlete and competed in the Olympic Marathon. As her fame
79
increases, she is expected to win major competitions, but she is
disappointed at missing a gold medal and the harsh criticism hurt her
greatly. Once sunk in apathy, she again returns to the international
stage and sets a world record for the marathon.
In this autobiography, Paula shares not only her athletic life full
of suffering and injuries, but also describes her reign as a top athlete.
6. Terms
Athletes
Paula Radcliffe (1973- ): a British long-distance runner, the current
women’s world record holder in the marathon, who has won
several major marathons, the London Marathon, the New York
City Marathon, and the Chicago Marathon.
For more information: http://www.paularadcliffe.com
Ingrid Kristianesen (1956- ): a former Norwegian long-distance
runner, who set world records in the 5000m, 10,000m, the
half-marathon, and the marathon.
Gary Lough (1970- ): a middle distance runner and Paula’s husband.
Major Competitions
Chicago Marathon: an annually held marathon in Chicago, known as
one of the six World Marathon Majors; Boston, New York,
London, Berlin and Tokyo Marathons.
For more information: https://www.chicagomarathon.com
London Marathon: #14
80
Commonwealth Games: an international meet, with participants from
the fifty-three members of Commonwealth of Nations.
For more information:
http://www.thecgf.com/sports/sports_index.asp
IAAF World Cross Country Championship: an international cross
country competition organized by the IAAF, which was
inaugurated in 1973, and is used as one of the screening races for
choosing nation team members for the Olympics.
For more information:
https://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-cross-country-cham
pionships
Injuries
Stress fracture: an injury through overuse that can occur in the foot,
leg and pelvis.
For more information:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/stress_fracture/article_em.htm
Training Methods
High-attitude training: training to acclimatize to the lower level of
oxygen available in the atmosphere, which improves the delivery
of oxygen to the muscles.
For more information:
http://www.altitude.org/altitude_training.php
81
C. Commentary
Reviewers value this work highly, especially her account of her
athletic life, facing painful events and finally concurring with her passion or
love for running. Some reviewers, however, read this work as not only her
autobiography but also a technical running book that provides knowledge of
how to run faster from the description of her training and the ways she
conquers injuries. In this point, both runners and non-runners can enjoy her
story itself and benefit from the technical suggestions.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Paula Radcliffe: The Autobiography by Paula
Radcliffe and David Walsh. n.d. Web. Accessed 29 August 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Paula-My-Story-So-Far/dp/074347869X/ref=
tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Paula Radcliffe: The Autobiography by Paula
Radcliffe and David Walsh. n.d. Web. Accessed 29 August 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236935.Paula.
82
2005
#19. Karnazes, Dean. Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night
Runner. Breakaway Books, New York, 2006. 308p.
A. Author (1962- )
A famous endurance athlete born in California. His achievements,
running through great distance without sleep, have been catching the
interest of many people around the world. Ultramarathon Man: Confessions
of an All-Night Runner is his first and best selling book, and he is also the
author of 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days -- and
How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance! and Run! 26.2 Stories of
Blisters and Bliss (Wellness Central, New York, 2008). In 2006, he was
nominated as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential people in the World” by
TIME magazine.
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
1960s to 2000s
83
3. Setting
Inglewood, California
4. Main Characters
Alexandria: Dean and Julie’s older son
Nicholas: Dean and Julie’s younger son
Dean Karnazes: the author and protagonist
Julie: Dean’s wife
Perry: Dean’s sister
5. Plot Summary
This is the story of Dean Karnazes, who overcame hardships
through running ultramarathons.
He starts running seriously when he is in junior high school. He
trains hard and wins many competitions at that time. However, he quits
running after graduation. When he reaches thirty years old, he wonders
if he will continue to work for years and live an ordinal life. He goes
outside one midnight for a run to seek his answer. While he runs, he
considers doing something nobody has achieved, leading to running a
great distance, now called an ultramarathon. After his decision, he
starts to run in many such races, facing both physical and mental
difficulties such as fighting against sleepiness, injuries, rambling
thoughts while running.
In this book, he shares nor only his background from childhood to
adulthood but he also describes the way his life is changed by running.
84
C. Commentary
Unlike most running books, the preparation, and training for taking
part in a competition is omitted in this book, which focuses mainly on his
psychology while he runs a great distance. Karnazes writes about his
hardships, such as the effort of running all night, while feeling a lot of pain.
He also answers questions from other runners, such as “How often do you
train?” and “Any tips for running an ultra?” This book includes one part that
is Answer to Question-style, so runners can gain some tips on the secret of
his strength while also enjoying the abundant description of each race.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Dean Karnazes (his own web page):
http://www.ultramarathonman.com/web/
Amazon.com. Rev. of Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night
Runner by Dean Karnazes. n.d. Web. Accessed 1 January 2016.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ultramarathon-Man-Confessions-All-Night-
Runner-ebook/dp/B001QNVPHW.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night
Runner by Dean Karnazes. n.d. Web. Accessed 1 January 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/87632.Ultramarathon_Man.
85
#20. Marsden, Carolyn. Moon Runner. Candlewick, Cambridge, MA,
2005. 112p.
A. Author (1950- )
An American writer, born in Southern California, who attended
Vermont College and obtained an MFA in Writing for Children. She was an
elementary teacher before she became a writer. Her major works are The
Gold-Threaded Dress (Candlewick, Cambridge, MA, 2002), her first book
and a booklist Top Ten Youth Novel of 2002, and Silk Umbrellas
(Candlewick, Cambridge, MA, 2004).
B. Work
1. Genre
Novel
2. Period Covered
2000s
3. Setting
Duncan, South Carolina
4. Main Characters
Lombard: a PE teacher
Mina Lee: the protagonist and a sprinter
Ruth Largness: Mina’s close friend and her rival
86
5. Plot Summary
This is a story of Mina Lee who is chosen as a member of the
relay team in elementary school and wins a local competition.
Lombard, a PE teacher, has students running fifty meters in his
class to find runners for the meet. One day, he gathers the students and
announces a list of relay members for the track meet, which includes
Mina, who does not like running, and Ruth, who always wants to be
first. After that, Ruth regards Mina as her rival, and their relationship
gets worse, Mina feels sad. However, they regain their former
friendship through talking frankly to each other, and they begin training
together. On the day of the meet, their relay team wins first place and
the right to attend a city-wide competition.
C. Commentary
This book is aimed at children, but its simple story has a common
message for people of all ages. Mina, like most people has a close friend,
but sometimes that friend becomes a rival, making their relationship worse.
Readers may have experienced complicated feelings similar to Mina’s and
can sympathize with this book.
Readers also can read this book thinking about the role of the moon.
The moon of the book’s title represents Mina’s mentality and desire to win.
When everything goes well for Mina, it is expressed through the image:
“The full moon seems to bring blessings” (49). In the latter half of this book,
87
Mina’s emotions become unstable and differing descriptions of the moon
often appear, but Mina also sees the moon in the gold medal she wins.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Moon Runner by Carolyn Marsden. n.d. Web.
Accessed 10 December 2015.
http://www.amazon.com/Moon-Runner-Carolyn-Marsden/product-revie
ws/1435272838.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Moon Runner by Carolyn Marsden. n.d. Web.
Accessed 10 December 2015.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1382963.Moon_Runner.
2000
#21. Brant, John. Duel in the Sun: Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley,
and America's Greatest Marathon. Rodale, Emmaus, PA, 2006. 256p.
A. Author (1951- )
A contributor to Runner’s World and Outside magazines. He is also
the author of The Boy Who Runs: The Odyssey of Julius (Ballantine Books,
New York, 2016). He won a Journalistic Excellence Award in 2002.
88
B. Work
1. Genre
Biography
2. Period Covered
1980s to 1990s
3. Setting
Boston, Massachusetts; Eugene, Oregon; and New York City, New York
4. Main Characters
Alberto Salazar: a long-distance runner
Bill Squires: Dick’s coach
Dick Beardsley: another distance runner
Mary: Dick’s wife
Molly: a talented long distance runner
5. Plot Summary
This book is a biography of Dick Beardsley and Alberto Salazar.
The author writes about their daily training, competitions, and their life
after retirement.
Alberto Salazar is a strong runner, one who is well known, and
Dick Beardsley, who is not a famous runner. As the story progresses,
Beardsley begins to run faster and becomes a major threat for Alberto
Salazar.
This book highlights the Boston Marathon, where Alberto and
Dick produce an exciting race before a huge crown and media and
89
Dick Beardsley beats Alberto Salazar.
The marathon becomes a pinnacle for their running careers. In the
latter part of this book, the story spirals downhill: Salazar becomes
depressed and his immune system is compromised, and Beardsley is
injured in an industrial accident and lapses into drug addiction.
6. Terms
Athletes
Bill Bowerman (1999- ): “the legendary coach at University of
Oregon” (20) and a cofounder of Nike, Inc.
For more information:
http://news.nike.com/news/bill-bowerman-nike-s-original-innovat
or
Bill Rodgers (1947- ): #11
Tarzan Brown (1914-1975): “member of New England’s Narragansett
Indian tribe and a two-time Boston winner” (106).
For more information:
http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/br/tarzan-bro
wn-1.html
Major Competitions
Boston Marathon: #11
New York City Marathon: #11
Grandma’s Marathon: an annual marathon that began in 1977 when a
group of local runners planned a scenic road race from Two
90
Harbors to Duluth, Minnesota.
For more information: http://grandmasmarathon.com
C. Commentary
Unlike other running biographies, the author describes two famous
athletes, separately in the first half of the book and simultaneously in the
latter. They also face similar fates: both are sunk into a downhill spiral in
their lives. It is also rare that there are two protagonists who confront
similar densities. The structure and story itself is unexpected and different
from other running books, which focus mainly on one athlete’s life.
This book also can be read as historical background to the running
boom in the 1970s, the growing number of runners, and people’s thoughts
about running as it becomes more popular.
The biography of both famous athletes is also intriguing for runners,
as it provides knowledge of the running boom at that time.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Duel in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley,
and America’s Greatest Marathon by John Brant. n.d. Amazon.com.
Web. Accessed 25 September 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Duel-Sun-Beardsley-Americas-Greatest/dp/1
594866287.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Duel in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley,
91
and America’s Greatest Marathon by John Brant. n.d. Amazon.com.
Web. Accessed 25 September 2016.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/515066.Duel_in_the_Sun.
John, Brant. Duel in the Sun. Runner’s World. Web. Accessed 25
September 2016.
http://rw.runnersworld.com/selects/duel-in-the-sun.html.
#22. Lin, Jennifer, and Susan Warner, editors. Sole Sisters: Stories of
Women and Running. Andrews McMeel, Kansas City, MO, 2006. 144p.
A. Editors
Jennifer Lin (n.d.)
An author, the reporter, and the former China correspondent for the
Philadelphia Inquirer, who graduated from Duquesne University.
Susan Warner (n.d.)
A freelance writer. Her personal information is unavailable.
B. Work
1. Genre
Essay and stories
2. Period Covered
1950s to 2000s
92
3. Contents
A World-Class Racer Turns Coach of Mom by Joan Nesbit Mabe 1
The Flying Nun by Sister Marion Irvine 9
Paving the Way for her Daughter by Cheryl Treworgy 15
It Takes a Committee by Allentown Women’s 5K Classic 24
On the Faded Trail of Chief Dull Knife by Cinnamon Spear 31
Therapy in Motion by Team Windsor 39
Fighting Cancer with her Sisters by Darcy Gibbs Batzold 47
The Accidental Legend by Grete Waitz 54
The Road to Hawaii by Theo Carroll 60
Recovering from 9/11 by Sandy Felt 68
The Runner Next Door Susan by Pajer and Marilyn Darrows 73
Running for Kenya by The Ndereba Sisters 78
From Tragedy, a Turning Point by Sandy Oslosky 83
The Ultimate Connection by Centipede Ladies 91
Finding a New Way by Amber Trotter 97
Dressing Women Runners by Ellen Wessel 103
Pregnancy, Babies, and Running by Midori Sperandeo 110
Running to a Brighter Future by Students Run Philly Style 117
Four-Legged Running Partners by Colleen Cannon 123
Born with a Runner’s Soul by Taylor Ng 128
Finding Friendship in a New Hometown by The Dawn Patrol 132
93
4. Plot Summary
This book is collected true stories told by women runners who
started running for various reasons: stress reduction, health, and an
opportunity to connect with other runners.
The editors begin interviewing women of all ages when their
article “Why has the number of women runners been increasing?” is
published. In response to the article, the two compilers receive many
phone calls, letters and e-mails from women runners of all ages who tell
the reason they run. Lin and Warner begin interviewing, and these
stories were connected into a book.
5. Terms
Major Competitions
Women’s 5K Classic: an annual race begun in 1993 to raise funds to
support the Greater Leigh Valley organizations that promote
fitness among women of all ages, supporting women and families
affected by breast and other cancers, but also to educate women
about breast cancer awareness, prevention and treatment.
For more information: http://womens5kclassic.org
C. Commentary
The significant point is that all the stories are told by women. Most
running books are mainly on men runner by male authors. Amby Burfoot,
1968 Boston Marathon winner and an executive editor of Runner’s World
94
magazine, also mentions this point on the book cover:
“I know it’s not politically correct to say that female runners are
different from male runners, but they are, and they deserve their own
running book.”
As he mentions, this book indicates that women have entered into a
formerly male- dominated world, and the time has come for women runners
to tell their own stories.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Sole Sisters: Stories of Women and Running by
Jennifer Lin and Susan Warner. n.d. Amazon.com. Web. Accessed 10
December 2015.
http://www.amazon.com/Sole-Sisters-Stories-Women-Running/product
-reviews/B007HW62YC.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Sole Sisters: Stories of Women and Running by
Jennifer Lin and Susan Warner. n.d. Amazon.com. Web. Accessed 10
December 2015.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/362241.Sole_Sisters.
95
#23. Shivers, Joseph P, and Paul L. Harriers: The Making of a
Championship Cross-Country Team. Fresh Writers, Uniontown, OH,
2006. 180p.
A. Authors
Joseph and Paul Shivers (n.d.)
Joseph and Paul Shivers are cousins, not brothers but their detailed
personal information is not available. When they wrote this book, they were
just high school students. They started writing this book after winning a
school essay contest.
B. Work
1. Genre
Essay
2. Period Covered
2001 to 2004
3. Setting
Salem, Ohio
4. Main Characters
Andy, Jason, Joseh, and Paul: cross-country team members at Salem
High School
Matt Yanek: a former distance runner
Michael Almond: a new cross-country coach
96
Mike: a former wrestler who is recruited by Andy to join the
cross-county team
Robert Vogt: a graduated student who was a member of the
cross-country team
5. Plot Summary
This is an essay about how a common cross-country team
becomes a prestigious team, training under Michael Almond, the new
coach at Salem High School.
The cross-country team at Salem High School had won three
State Championships in the past, but recently their performance has
been unremarkable. The appearance of a new coach, Michael Almond,
who had produced great distance runners representing the nation,
revitalizes the cross-country team.
Team members follow his instruction eagerly and endure hard
training, which finally leads the team to the state championship. The
changes brought by the new coach and the process of improving from a
normal team to becoming a state champion are detailed in this book.
6. Terms
Training Methods
Tempo runs: #14
97
C. Commentary
Unlike other books in running literature, this one was written by two
high school students. Readers seem to enjoy the process that the weak
cross-country team becoming a strong team. However, the way of telling the
story is simple and there is a lack of detailed information about the phases
of training and competition, so reviews of this book are not favorable.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Harriers: The Making of a Championship Cross
Country Team by Joseph and Paul Shivers. n.d. Web. Accessed 1
November 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Harriers-Making-Championship-Cross-Count
ry/dp/1932802959.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Harriers: The Making of a Championship Cross
Country Team by Joseph and Paul Shivers. n.d. Web. Accessed 1
November 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1161972.
98
2007
#24. Parker, John L. Jr. Again to Carthage. Breakaway, New York, 2007.
344p.
A. Author (1947- )
An American writer who graduated from the University of Florida’s
College of Journalism and the College of Law. In college, he was a
three-time mile champion in Southeastern Conference. He is also the author
of Once a Runner (Cedarwinds, Cedar Mountain, NC, 1978).
B. Work
1. Genre
Novel
2. Period Covered
1940s to 1950s
3. Setting
Kernsville, Florida
4. Main Characters
Big Jim Pegram: Quenton’s best friend
Bruce Denton: Quenton’s coach but also Assistant Professor of Science
Endris and O’Bannon: Quenton’s training partner
99
Mize: Cassidy’s friend, who is in the military
Quenton Cassidy: former Olympian in the mile and an attorney
Roland: Quenton’s colleague
5. Plot Summary
This novel, a sequel to Once a Runner, is the story of Quenton
Cassidy, the protagonist, who becomes an attorney after retiring as an
athlete, but who goes back to an athletic life.
Quenton Cassidy settles to an ordinal life after he becomes a
silver medalist at the Olympic Games. After retiring as a runner, he
attends law school and starts working in a law firm. He enjoys his work,
hanging out with his colleges and running only casually. His life seems
promising and peaceful. One day, however, he gets the news that two
friends have died in the Vietnam War, which gives him a great shock,
and he comes to realize something is missing in his life. That is running.
A few days later, he meets Bruce, his former coach, and Cassidy begins
training under his coaching but this time training for the marathon.
The first half of the story is about Quenton Cassidy’s life as
lawyer, and in the latter his second life as marathoner is described.
6. Terms
Training Methods
Interval (training or workout): #2
Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes
Anaerobic threshold (AT): the exertion level between aerobic and
100
anaerobic training. The AT is the point during exercise when your
body must switch from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism.
Lactic Acid: #2
VO2 Max: the maximum rate of oxygen consumption as measured
during incremental exercise, most typically on a motorized
treadmill.
Zone: the mental state of operation in which a person performing an
activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full
involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity.
C. Commentary
The appeal of this book is the changing process of Cassidy’
psychology. Although he quits running and settles into a confortable life as
an attorney, he starts training again after the death of his close friends,
feeling something is missing from his life. Most people hardly think the
missing part in life might be tied to running. His thoughts may be
characteristic of current athletes or those who had once been runners, and
readers can gain an appreciation of their thoughts.
This book can also be read as a training guide. Some terms common to
athletes and their training programs are mentioned in the conversation
between Cassidy and his coach.
101
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Once a Runner by John L. Parker. n.d. Web.
Accessed 23 October 2015.
http://www.amazon.com/Again-Carthage-John-Parker-Jr/product-revie
ws/1891369776/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoint
s=1&sortBy=recent.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Once a Runner by John L. Parker. n.d. Web.
Accessed 23 October 2015.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98250.Once_a_Runner?
from_search=true.
#25. Schaap, Jeremy. Triumph: Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics.
Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 2007. 304p.
A. Author
Jeremy Schaap (1969- )
An American author, sportswriter and ABC World News reporter, who
graduated from Cornell University. He is the winner of eight Emmy Awards.
His other publications are Cinderella Man: James J. Braddock, Max Baer,
and the Greatest Upset in Boxing History (Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 2005)
and Untitled On the 1969 Mets/orioles Baseball Season (Houghton Mifflin,
Boston, 2011).
102
B. Work
1. Genre
Biography
2. Period Covered
1912 to 1955
3. Setting
Cleveland, Ohio, and Berlin, Germany
4. Main Characters
Adolf Hitler: the president of Germany
Arno Breitmeyer: a German sports official, and former rower
Charles Riley: a junior high school track coach
Eva Braun: Hitler’s wife
Henry Cleveland Owens: Jesse’s father who works as a sharecropper
Jesse Owens: an African-American sprinter, the protagonist
Larry Snyder: a track and field coach at the Ohio State University
Mary Emma Fitzgerald: Jesse’s mother
Ruth Solomon: Jesse’s wife
5. Plot Summary
This is a biography of Jesse Owens, an African-American
sprinter, focusing on the 1936 Berlin Olympic and hurdles he faced.
Jesse Owens started running under Coach Charles Riley at East
Technical High School in Cleveland, where he caught attention by
setting a world record in 100-yard dash (91m). He attended Ohio State
103
University, where Coach Larry Snyder trained him. He won many
competitions, including the NCAA championship and Big Ten meet,
but also at the Olympic Games, where set world records in the
100-yard dash and 220-yard dash.
The highlight of this book is the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games,
where Jesse crushes the hopes of Adolf Hitler, who wants to let people
to witness “Aryan’s supremacy”. Jesses Owens enters four events-
100m, 200m, long jump and 4x100mR- and defeats athletes from
several countries. His winning suppresses the spectators, and Owens is
besieged by those who want autographs and to shake hands with him.
His popularity makes Hitler, a white supremacist, indignant.
The author writes about Owens’ athletic career, casting the light
on both national and international meets and focuses on his success in
the Berlin Olympic Games.
6. Terms
Athletes
Jesse Owens (1913-1980): An American sprinter, who won three gold
medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, known as the most successful
African-American athlete. He graduated from Ohio State
University, where he trained under Coach Larry Snyder.
Harold Abrahams (1899-1978): a British sprinter, gold medalist at the
1924 Paris Olympics in the 100m, who graduated from Cambridge
University and worked as a lawyer and journalist after graduation.
104
Erich Borchmeyer (1905-2000): a German sprinter, who won a silver
medal at the 1934 European Championships in the 100m and a
bronze medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.
Ben Johnson (1961- ): #5
Lee Orr (1917- 2009): a Canadian sprinter, who won a gold medal at
the 1938 Sydney Olympics in the 4x440m yard relay. He graduated
from Watchington State University, where he trained under a
famous coach, Karl Schlademan.
For more information:
http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/or/lee-orr-1.
html
Mack Robinson (1914-2000): an American sprinter, a silver medalist
at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, who graduated from the
University of Oregon.
Athletic Organizations
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU): #3
United States Olympic Committee (USOC): an organization based in
Colorado Springs, which dispatches elite athletic teams for the
Olympic, Paralympic, and Pan American Games.
For more information: http://www.teamusa.org
International Olympic Committee (IOC): #4
Major Competitions
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA): #10
105
Big Ten Conference (BiG10): an athletic conference in the United
States established in 1895 by James H. Smart, the president of
Purdue University.
For more information:
http://www.bigten.org/sports/w-track/big10-w-track-body.html
C. Commentary
One of the few biographies in this collection about an
African-American athlete gives a framework of the painful difficulties faced
by an African-American in both sports and the world situation, highlighting
the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. Owens’s athletic career brings out many
interesting points, such as that, in spite of his fame he could not accept a
scholarship to Ohio State because of his skin color, which forced him to
work while he trained. This situation no longer exists at present. The other
curious point in this book is that Germany, the host county for the Olympic,
held the Games with the intention of showing the supremacy of the Aryan
race. Readers can enjoy Owens’ athletic life but also the historical aspect of
his achievements.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Triumph: Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics by
Jeremy Schaap. n.d. Web. Accessed 21 June 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Triumph-Untold-Story-Hitlers-Olympics/prod
106
uct-reviews/B001CB29Z0/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_see_all_top/163-1098654-9
590238?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=avp_only_reviews&showViewpoints=1
&sortBy=helpful.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Triumph: Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics by
Jeremy Schaap. n.d. Web. Accessed 21 June 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/376585.Triumph#other_
reviews.
#26. Ottati, Dean. The Runner and the Path: An Athlete's Quest for
Meaning in Postmodern Corporate America. Breakaway, Halcottsville,
2008. 272p.
A. Author (n.d.)
An American author who graduated from the Kellogg Graduate
School of Management. He works for in the video-technology industry but
is also a swimming-coach. He currently lives in California with his wife and
son.
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
107
1980s to 2000s
3. Setting
California
4. Main Characters
Chris: Dean’s wife, who is also an exercise physiologist by training
Dean Ottati: the author and protagonist
Zach: Dean and Chris’s son
5. Plot Summary
This is the story of Dean Ottati, a runner, cooperate executive and
author. Dean Ottati begins running to get back in shape. As he runs, he
comes to think of and seek the meaning of life. For him, running is a
time to meditation. To find the answers, he keeps running alone or
sometimes with his friends and family. Through the whole story, he
writes about the difficulties he faced and the way to conquer them
through running.
C. Commentary
Dean Ottati inserts quotations by famous authors such as Henry David
Thoreau, Herman Melville, and Mark Twain in each chapter. The following
quotation by John Muir is one example: says following.
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow
into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own
freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off
108
like autumn leaves” (91).
Each quotation seems to fit with his mental state. The actually runs in
the mountains, where the steep-terrain challenges him but the strenuous
exercise and mountain air refresh him. The author develops each chapter
following the theme of the inserted quotation. However, as some reviews
say he is a novice at running, so this account may make the experience
unsatisfying for readers who get an inspiration from the book.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of The Runner and the Path: An Athlete's Quest for
Meaning in Postmodern Corporate America by Dean Ottati. n.d. Web.
Accessed 11 January 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Runner-Path-Athletes-Postmodern-
Corporate/dp/1891369822.
Goodreads.com Rev. of The Runner and the Path: An Athlete's Quest for
Meaning in Postmodern Corporate America by Dean Ottati. n.d. Web.
Accessed 11 January 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/376585.Triumph#other_
reviews.
109
#27. Reed, Pam. The Extra Mile. Rodale, Emmaus, PA, 2008. 280p.
A. Author (1961- )
An American ultramarathoner, born in Michigan. She is the first woman
to become a winner of the Badwater Ultramarathon in 2002, called the
toughest in the world.
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
1990s to 2000s
3. Setting
Palmer, Michigan
4. Main Characters
Andrew and Bacal: Pam’s sons
Benny Linkhart: the first person to urge Pam to try an ultramarathon
Chuck Giles: an ultracyclist and Pam’s friend
Debbie Wickstorm: Pam’s sister
Jim: Pam’s husband
Karen: Pam’s mother
Pam Reed: an ultramarathoner and the protagonist in the book
Roy Saari: Pam’s father
110
Susy Bacal: Pam’s best friend
5. Plot Summary
This book is the story of Pam Reed, and it is separated into two
main aspects, her personal life and her life as an athlete.
In the first part of the book, her private life is described. Karen,
her mother, is a hardworking woman keeping a balance between her
entrepreneurial career and family, and Roy, her father, who is also a
determined person, raise her.
In the latter part, her athletic life is described. She starts running
at the suggestion of Benny Linkhart, one of her friends, who urges her
to try ultrarunnning, which requires both psychological and
physiological elements. After entering the Mule Mountain Marathon for
her first race, she starts to attend many races including the Badwater,
called the toughest race in the world. She becomes the first women
winner in this competition. Describing her entire life, she shares her
challenges and experiences in this book.
6. Terms
Athletes
John Geesler (n.d.): a silver medalist at the 2009 USA 24-Hour Run
National Championship.
Katharine Switzer (1947- ): an American marathoner who was the
first woman to run the Boston Marathon.
Ryoichi Sekiya (1967- ): a Japanese ultramarathoner and a current
111
Asian record holder of the 24-Hour Run.
Scott Jurek (1973- ): an American ultramarathoner and a public
speaker, known as a one of the most dominant ultramarathoner in
the world, winner of many famous races.
Stephanie Ehret (1963- ): an American ultramarathoner, winning a
24-hour track run in record time.
Sumie Inagaki (1966- ): a Japanese ultramarathon runner from
Hokkaido who is the holder of the current women’s record in the
24-hour run Indoor.
Major Competitions
Badwater Ultramarathon: an ultramaathon, said to be the world’s
toughest foot race, held in the Badwater Basin in California and
ending at Mount Whitney.
For more information: http://www.badwater.com
Big Sur International Marathon: an annual marathon held in
California, attracting more than 4,000 participants.
Boston Marathon: #11
Chicago Marathon: #18
Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance: an ultramarathon of 100 miles
with 33,992 feet of climb and 33,992 feet of descent for a total
elevation change of 67,984.
Leadville Trail 100 Run: an ultramarathon begun in 1983 on trails and
dirt roads near Leadville Colorado, through the heart of the Rocky
112
Mountains. In most years, few people complete the race within the
30-hour time limit.
London Marathon: #14
New York City Marathon: #11
Pikes Peak Marathon: a marathon beginning at the base of Pikes Peak
in Colorado with 7,815 feet of climb.
Rock’n Roll Marathon: a marathon combined with, travel and
entertainment, begun in 1998 in San Diego, CA.
St. George Marathon: #11
Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes
Anorexia (nervosa): The more serious athletes are, the easier they
come to be anorexic. There are several features: an extreme
aversion to gaining weight, a rejection of eating and having a
distorted body image.
Hypernatremia (water intoxication): a symptom caused by drinking
excessive amounts of water, leading to a low concentration of
sodium in the blood.
C. Commentary
This book is about her life story but also about her challenge in
breaking the stereotypical thoughts held by men, which shows one aspect of
feminism.
The ultramarathon, called one of the extreme sports requiring both
113
strong physical and psychological elements, had been thought of as a men’s
sport. In the book, she provides a brief sports history and her experience,
saying, “What makes men even more uncomfortable is the possibility of a
woman beating them” (126), and “From childhood, it’s ingrained in all of us
that guys are stronger, tougher, faster. This stereotype is so strong that it
takes constant struggle to break through it, even in my own family” (127).
One reviewer calls it “the story of the woman who shocked the running
world”, for Pam Reed broke such a stereotypical way of thinking through
competing in many “ultra” races, where she defeats male athletes, and
becoming the first woman winner of the Badwater. Her challenge and
endeavor are so inspirational and epoch-making in cultivating a new field
for female athletes.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of The Extra Mile: One Woman's Personal Journey to
Ultra-Running Greatness by Pam Reed. n.d. Web. Accessed 23 January
2016.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Extra-Mile-Ultrarunning-Greatne
ss/dp/1594867305.
Goodreads.com Rev. of The Extra Mile: One Woman's Personal Journey to
Ultra-Running Greatness by Pam Reed. n.d. Web. Accessed 23 January
2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239386.The_Extra_Mile.
114
2009
#29. Jurek, Scott, and Steve Friedman. Eat and Run: My Unlikely
Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness. Mariner Book, New York, 2013.
288p.
A. Authors
Scott Jurek (1973- )
An American ultramarathoner, born in Minnesota to a poor
working-class family. He graduated from Proctor High School in Minnesota
and entered the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, graduating
with a Bachelor Degree in Health Science and a Master’s Degree in physical
therapy, physical medicine, and rehabilitation specialty.
Steve Friedman (n.d.)
Born in St. Louis and graduated from Stanford University, currently
living in New York City. He is a writer, working for the Rodale Sports
Group. His major works are Lost on Treasure (Skyhorse, New York, 2011)
Island and The Agony of Victory (Arcade Pub., New York, 2007). Steve
Friedman helped Scott publish this book.
115
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
1980s to 2000s
3. Setting
Duluth, Minnesota, and Boulder, Colorado
4. Main Characters
Dave Terry: a runner and one of Scott’s close friends
Dusty Olson: a talented athlete and Scott’s lifelong friend
Gordon Jurek: Scott’s father
Jenny Jurek: Scott’s wife
Lynn Jurek: Scott’s mother, who contracts multiple sclerosis
Scott Jurek: the author and an American ultramarathoner
5. Plot Summary
This is a story of Scott Jurek, who finds a value in running and
challenging something people cannot achieve easily. The answer for
him is to run an ultramarathon.
Scott Jurek begins running long distances when he belongs to the
cross-country team in high school, where he is advised to strengthen his
stamina by his cross-country coach. His effort to be a strong athlete
bears fruit, and he becomes a top fifteen skier in Minnesota, which
leads him to get a school recommendation to the University of
116
Minnesota Duluth, where his close friend Dusty suggests that he run an
ultramarathon.
In his first ultra-race, he comes in second place, finding a taste
for long distances. Taking this opportunity, he takes part in many
ultramarathon races. While he wins fame as an athlete, he confronts
setbacks: marriage and divorce, discord with Dusty, the deaths of his
mother and Dave Terry, one of his close friends, and an injury through
overloaded training
Jurek writes about his personal life, which is full of difficulties,
explains his reasons for running ultramarathons, and provides training
tips.
C. Commentary
Scott Jurek shares his personal and athletic life, making this a useful
book for training, training logs and running tips. Readers, whether are
runners or not, can enjoy this book for the story itself and as a running book.
As reviews have said, this book is more like a novel than an autobiography.
He writes both good and bad events, exciting the reader, which is unlike
most other running literature, with its emphasis on the positive aspects of
running. This confession-like story makes it possible that this is not just an
autobiography.
117
D. Major Secondary Sources
Scott Jurek (his own webpage): http://scottjurek.com/eatandrun/
Amazon.com. Rev. of Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon
Greatness by Scott Jurek and Steve Friedman. n.d. Web. Accessed 10
December 2015.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eat-Run-Unlikely-Ultramarathon-Greatness/
dp/1408833409.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to
Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek and Steve Friedman. n.d.
Web. Accessed 10 December 2015.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13202092-eat-and-run.
#30. Lomong, Lopez, and Mark A. Tabb. Running for My Life: One Lost
Boy's Journey from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games.
Thomas Nelson, Nashville, 2012. 240p.
A. Authors
Lopez Lomong (1985- )
Born in Kimotong, South Sudan, a naturalized citizen of U.S in 2007
and an American distance runner. He currently works for philanthropic
activities such as Team Dafur, an international association of athletes, and
the Lopez Lomong Foundation.
118
Mark Tabb (n.d.)
An author who often writes biographies of athletes. His other works
are Greater Than: Unconventional Thoughts on the Infinite God (TH1NK,
Colorado Springs, CO, 2005) and The Sacred Acre: The Ed Thomas Story
(Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 2011).
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
1980s to 2012
3. Setting
Kimotong, South Sudan; Kakuma, Kenya; New York; Eugene, Oregon;
Flagstaff, Arizona
4. Main Characters
Abaham and John: Lopez’s brothers
Dominic: Lopez’s wife
Grace: Lopez’s sister
Host family: taking care of Lopez in the United States
John Hayes: Lopez’s track coach, a head coach of ATX Elite Coaching
Lopez Lomong: a middle distance runner, the protagonist
5. Plot Summary
This autobiography tells of Lomong’s childhood in South Sudan
119
to being an Olympian representing the U.S.A. Lopez Lomong was born
in Kimotong, South Sudan. When he was six years old, he was
kidnapped by Sudanese rebel soldiers and taken to a training camp.
He and other kidnapped boys decided to escape from the village
and were able to get to the Kenya border successfully, where they were
taken to a UN refugee camp in Kakuma. He knew of an opportunity to
go to the United States by fulfilling one condition, making a good
result in an essay contest, which required him to write in English, a
language he did not know. Due to his effort he made it to the United
States, where he was taken in by a host family and got an education.
He started running seriously when he was a high school student and
belonged to the cross-country team. After he entered Northern Arizona
University in Flagstaff, Arizona, he won national championships and
became a successful Olympian. In his autobiography, he writes about
his experience in South Sudan and his athletic career.
6. Terms
Athletes
Michael Johnson (1967- ): a former American sprinter, a gold
medalist at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games in the 200m and
400m.
For more information: http://michaeljohnsonperformance.com
Bernard Lagat (1974- ): a Kenyan-American middle- and
long-distance runner, who has won at the World Championship and
120
Olympic Games.
For more information:
http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/la/bernard-lag
at-1.html
Major Competitions
Prefontaine Classic: an annual track and field meet held in Eugene,
Oregon, by the Oregon Track Club, which draws elite athletes
from around the world.
For more information: http://preclassic.runnerspace.com
C. Commentary
This autobiography focuses on his childhood in South Sudan unlike
so his background is remarkably different. Unlike many successful athletes,
he was not in a good environment, and it was even difficult to dream of an
athlete from South Sudan doing great in international competitions. In spite
of such a situation, he made heroic effort in academics and as a runner. This
book gives us knowledge of one of the unusual ways to become a great
runner but also describes the historical background of South Sudan at that
time.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Lopez Lomong (his own web page): http://www.lopezlomong.com
Mark Tabb (his own web page): http://www.marktabb.com
121
Amazon.com. Rev. of Running for My Life: One Lost Boy's Journey from the
Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Game by Lopez Lomong. n.d.
Web. Accessed 28 October 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Running-My-Life-Journey-Killing/dp/159555
5153.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Running for My Life: One Lost Boy's Journey from
the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Game by Lopez Lomong. n.d.
Web. Accessed 28 October 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14487872-running-for-my-lif.
#31. Wilson, Julian. Complete Surrender: A Biography of Eric Liddell,
Olympic Medalist and Missionary. Authentic, Franklin, TN, 2012. 160p.
A. Author
Julian Wilson (n.d.)
The author writes mostly biographies of the eminent person. His
personal information is not available. His other publications are Lester
Piggott: The Pictorial Biography (Macdonald, London, 1985) and
Wigglesworth: The Complete Story: A New Biography of the 'Apostle of
Faith' Smith Wigglesworth (Authentic Pub., Milton Keynes, 2002).
122
B. Work
1. Genre
Biography
2. Period Covered
1893 to 1945
3. Setting
Drymen, Scotland; Tientsin, China; Nottingham, England
4. Main Characters
Eric Liddle: a sprinter, the protagonist
James Dunlop Liddell: Eric’s father
Kenneth McAll: a surgeon at the mission hospital in north China
Mary Reddin: Eric’s mother
Rob Liddell: Eric’s brother
Tom McKerchar: Eric’s track coach
5. Plot Summary
This is a biography of Eric Liddell, a Scottish sprinter, covering
his childhood in China, his athletic performance in his university days,
and his life after graduation.
Eric Liddell was born in Tientsin, north China, and raised by
James Dunlop Liddell and Mary Reddin, who were missionaries of the
London Missionary Society. He lived in China until he was six years
old, and then moved to Eltham College in London, where he played
both cricket and rugby, attracting attention because of his speed. He
123
entered Edinburgh University and joined the ruby and track and field
clubs. His sprinting ability paved the way to becoming an Olympian.
He continued running after graduation but had a desire to work
as a missionary. He returned to Northern China to serve as a
missionary like his parents, where he experienced the Manchurian
Incident. His health was gradually eroded by the poor sanitary
conditions, overwork, and malnourishment, leading to a brain tumor
and his death.
In this biography, Liddell’s athletic life is described, but his
personal life and historical events are also depicted.
6. Terms
Athletes
Horatio Fitch (1900-1985): an American sprinter who won the silver
medal at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games in the 400m.
Harold Abrahams (1899-1978): #25
Jackson Scholz (1897-1986): an American sprinter but also a writer,
who won a gold medal in the 200m and a silver medal in the 100m
at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games.
Charley Paddock (1900-1943): an American sprinter and an actor, who
died in a plane crash.
Eric Liddell (1902-1945): a British sprinter who later works as
missionary in China and dies of a brain tumor.
Geoffrey Brown (1915-1995): a British sprinter, a silver medalist in
124
the 400m at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.
C. Commentary
One of the interesting points is that Eric Liddell was a strong
religious person. His devotion to God had a great influence on his athletic
life. He always went to church on Sunday and prioritized such a habit above
all things. For example, he withdrew from the Olympic 100m final because
it was held on Sunday. The title of this book, “Complete Surrender”, means
the surrender of his will to God. It seems rare things to abandon an Olympic
dream easily. Among all the books in this biography, there is not another
example of Liddell’s unique story. This book also gives knowledge of
historical events, which makes it possible to read this book for its various
aspects such as the life of strong religious person and the history of his era.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Complete Surrender: A Biography of Eric Liddell,
Olympic Medalist and Missionary by Julian Wilson. n.d. Web.
Accessed 12 November 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Surrender-biography-Eric-Liddell/
dp/1860248411/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478498639&sr=
1-1.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Complete Surrender: A Biography of Eric Liddell,
Olympic Medalist and Missionary by Julian Wilson. n.d. Web.
125
Accessed 12 November 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20324956-complete-surrender.
#32. Wint, Valerie. The Longer Run: A Daughter’s Story of Arthur Wint.
Ian Randle, Miami, 2012. 198p.
A. Author (n.d.)
The eldest daughter of Arthur Wint, the first Jamaican Olympic gold
medalist. Valerie Wint, who graduated from Glendon College, York
University in Toronto, is currently a Yoga instructor, living in Toronto with
her family.
B. Work
1. Genre
Biography
2. Period Covered
1920s to 1990s
3. Setting
Manchester, Nova Scotia, Free State
4. Main Characters
Arthur Wint: a Jamaican sprinter and middle-distance runner, the
protagonist
126
Herbert MacDonald: Arthur’s track and field coach
Norma Wint: a daughter of Arthur Wint, the storyteller
Valerie Wint: Arthur’s wife
5. Plot Summary
This is a biography of Arthur Wint, legendary Jamaican athlete,
told by Valerie Wint, his daughter, with descriptions of his personal and
athletic life.
Arthur Wint was born in Manchester, Jamaica, in 1920, the
second child of Revered John Wint and Hilda Smith.
He was a natural talented athlete, and when he was eleven years
old, he began to show his talent. He boarded at Calabar High School in
Kingston and becomes famous as a star athlete at the school. He won
most competitions he entered. He transferred to Excelsior High School,
where he met Norma Dorothea, his wife.
In 1937, he was selected as the Jamaica Boy Athlete of the Year,
and he won first place in the 800m at the 1938 Central American Games,
setting a new Central American record. While he was enhancing his
athletic career, however, the world comes to be on the brink of war.
He joined the British Commonwealth Air Training kept training
in Canada, where he won the 400m and set the Canadian record.
The author writes about his athletic life and the situation of the
world at that time.
127
6. Terms
Athletes
Roger Bannister (1929- ): #4
Mal Whitfield (1924-2015): an African-American sprinter and middle
distance runner, who won a gold medal in the 800m and a silver
medal at the 1948 London Olympic Games.
For more information:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/mal-whitfield-three-time-
olympic-gold-medalist-dies-at-91/2015/11/19/12300ba2-8f08-11e5
-ae1f-af46b7df8483_story.html
Herb McKenley (1922-2007): a Jamaican sprinter, who won silver
medals in the 100m and 400m at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic
Games.
Bert Cameron (1959- ): a former Jamaican sprinter, a gold medalist
in the 400m at the 1983 Helsinki World Championships.
For more information:
http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ca/bert-camer
on-1.html
Major Competitions
Commonwealth Games: #18
C. Commentary
This book focuses mainly on Wint’s athletic and personal life, but
128
also points out historical conditions, such as the significance of skin color
at the time: “Kingston, Jamaica in the 1930s was still very much colonial
town, where white residents had the privileges, and those who had African
blood were lower down the scale” (17).
Valerie Wint also mentions the racial bias that accompanied the
appearance of black athletes in sports competition. Her biography of her
revered father describes the life of one of the first black athletes who
pursued athletics while combating against prejudice and the wartime
situation.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of “The Longer Run: A Daughter’s Story of Arthur Wint.
n.d. Amazon.com. Web. Accessed 13 March 2016.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Longer-Run-Daughters-Arthur/prod
uct-reviews/9766375186/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_see_all_top?ie=UTF8
&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=helpful.
Goodreads.com Rev. of “The Dirtiest Race in History: Ben Johnson, Carl
Lewis and the Olympic 100m Final. n.d. Goodreads.com Web.
Accessed 13 March 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12999224-the-longer-run.
129
2013
#33. Savage, Jeff. Usain Bolt. Lerner Publications, Minneapolis, 2013.
32p.
A. Author (1963- )
An American biographer, born in Oakland. He has worked as the CEO
of an Internet company, a plumber, a French chef, and a radio talk show host.
His other works are Monster Trucks (Capstone, Edina, 2010) and a series of
Amazing Athlete. In the Amazing Athlete series, he writes about athletes in
various sports.
B. Work
1. Genre
Biography
2. Period Covered
2000s
3. Setting
Kingston, Jamaica
4. Main Characters
Sadiki and Sherine: Usain’s brother and sister
Usain Bolt: a world-record holder in the 100m and 200m
130
Wellesley and Jennifer Bolt: Usain’s father and mother
5. Plot Summary
This is a brief biography of Usain Bolt, who is currently the
fastest runner in the world, focusing mainly on his athletic life.
Usain Bolt was born with a condition called scoliosis, with his
spine curved more than normal, and raised by Wellesley, his father and
Jennifer, his mother. He was active, playing soccer and cricket, his
favorite sports, in childhood. When he was nine, his family was
concerned that he was too focused on sports, and his father took him to
the hospital.
He began running at the age of ten years old and joined a track
and field club. He soon became the fastest runner in primary school. In
high school, he also won many races and became widely known, called
a hero in his country. This book describes the process of his growth as
an athlete, and it is aimed at a juvenile readers.
6. Terms
Athletes
Yohan Blake (1989- ): a Jamaican sprinter, a teammate of Usain Bolt,
a silver medalist in the100m and 200m at the 2012 London
Olympic Games.
For more information:
https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/jamaica/yohan-blake-208640
Justin Gatlin (1982- ): an American sprinter, who won a gold medal
131
in the 100m at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and who was later
banned from competition for two years for illegal dug use.
For more information:
https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/united-states/justin-gatlin-176453
Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes
Core muscles: “a group of muscles that connect the upper and lower
body and support the spine. These include abdominals as well as
muscles in the hips and lower back” (30).
Scoliosis: abnormal lateral curvature of the spine.
C. Commentary
This book is for juvenile reader, and the author adds annotations to
explain the meanings of each words. This book also has an abundant index,
a list of recommended readings and websites, and a list of Bolt’s major
achievement. This book includes useful sources to learn more about the life
of a famous athlete, but the variety of vocabulary is also an educational
consideration for children.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Usain Bolt by Jeff Savage. n.d. Web. Accessed 25
February 2016.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Usain-Bolt-Amazing-Athletes-Paperback/dp
/1467710970.
132
Goodreads.com Rev. of Usain Bolt. by Jeff Savage. n.d. Web. Accessed 25
February 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16195700-usain-bolt.
#34. Stracher, Cameron. Kings of the Road: How Frank Shorter, Bill
Rodgers, and Alberto Salazar Made Running Go Boom. Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt, Boston, 2013. 245p.
A. Author (n.d.)
A writer, law professor, and media lawyer who graduated from
Amherst, Harvard Law School and earned an MFA from the Iowa Writers
Workshop. He is also the author of The Laws of Return (W. Morrow, New
York, 1996), his first book, and his other book is Double Billing: A Young
Lawyer's Tale of Greed, Sex, Lies, and the Pursuit of a Swivel Chair (W.
Morrow, New York, 1998).
B. Work
1. Genre
Biography
2. Period Covered
1970s to 1980s
133
3. Setting
Boston and Falmouth, Massachusetts
4. Main Characters
Alberto Salazar: a long-distance runner, winner of 1982 World Cross
Country Championships
Bill Rodgers: an American long-distance runner and a former record
holder of the Boston Marathon
Bob Geigengack: Shorter’s track coach
Elmer: a track coach at Wesleyan University
Frank Shorter: a former American long-distance runner who won the
gold medal in the marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games
5. Plot Summary
The author writes about three legendary distance runners, Frank
Shorter, Bill Rodgers, and Alberto Salazar, the races they ran, and the
running boom in the 1970s.
Frank Shorter is a distance runner, a gold medalist at the 1972
Summer Olympic Games and known as a pioneer of the running boom,
Bill Rodgers is a marathoner, known for his four victories in the Boston
Marathon, and Alberto Salzar is an American record holder in the
5,000m.
The biographies of the three American runners, their achievement
in the track and field world, and their influence on ordinal people are
described in this book.
134
6. Terms
Athletes
Alberto Salazar (1958- ): a former world-class runner and currently
head coach of the Nike Oregon Project.
Bill Rodgers (1947- ): #11
Craig Virgin (1955- ): a former American long-distance runner, who
awards “High School Athlete of the Year” in Track and Field
News in 1973.
For more information:
http://www.billrodgersrunningcenter.com/privacypolicy.html
Frank Shorter (1947- ): #4
Garry Bjorklund (1951- ): a former American middle- and
long-distance runner, the U.S representative in the 10,000m at the
1976 Olympic Games, who later became a marathoner and set a
national age group record.
Martha White (1959- ): a former American long-distance runner, the
10,000-meter road record holder.
Athletic Organizations
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA): #10
Nike Oregon Project: a group sponsored by Nike to promote American
long-distance running.
For more information: http://nikeoregonproject.com
135
Major Competitions
Falmouth Road Race: a 7-mile road race held annually in the town of
Falmouth, Massachusetts.
For more information:
http://www.falmouthroadrace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.m
ain
C. Commentary
This book explains how the “running boom” happened in the 1970s
followed Frank Shorter’s success in the 1972 Summer Olympic Games and
the success of other famous athletes, Alberto Salazar and Bill Rodgers.
Regarding the boom, this book makes the following claim: “During the
decade from 1972 to 1982, three American men became world champions in
the sport of distance running. Their victories were celebrated on the front
page of newspapers, heralded on magazine covers, and trumpeted by
television commentators. In their footsteps, running boomed, and an
industry worth billions was born.” (53). This quotation gives a framework
for the running boom in the 1970s, and the book’s combination of biography
and history makes it a useful source for anyone who studies the running
boom in United States.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Kings of the Road: How Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers,
136
and Alberto Salazar Made Running Go Boom. n.d. Amazon.com. Web.
Accessed 30 September 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Kings-Road-Shorter-Rodgers-Alberto/produc
t-reviews/054777396X/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_see_all_top?ie=UTF8&revie
werType=avp_only_reviews&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=helpful.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Kings of the Road: How Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers,
and Alberto Salazar Made Running Go Boom. n.d. Goodreads.com Web.
Accessed 30 September. 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4666680-running-wild.
2014
#35. Devers, Gail, and Braxton Cosby. Gail Devers, My Life in Story:
Stronger. Cosby Media Productions, Atlanta, 2014. 196p.
A. Authors
Gail Devers (1966- )
A former American sprinter, a three-time Olympic champion. She,
born in Seattle, Washington, and graduated from the University of
California at Los Angeles. She retired from athletic life at the age of 40. She
137
was elected to the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2011 and was
announced as a recipient of the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award.
Braxton Cosby (n.d.)
An author, the CEO of Cosby Media Productions, and a certified
personal trainer and sports nutritionist. He also has a doctorate in Physical
Therapy. His other publications are Supernova (Tate, Mustang, OK, 2015)
and Protostar (Tate, Mustang, OK, 2015).
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
1980s to 2007
3. Setting
Los Angeles and National City, California, and Seattle, Washington
4. Main Characters
Coach Bob Kersee: Devers’ track coach, an assistant coach at UCLA
Coach Gene Alim: Devers’ track coach in high school
Gail Devers: a sprinter, the protagonist
Kenneth: a brother-like friend for Devers
5. Plot Summary
This autobiography tells the framework of Gail Devers’ life as an
athlete from her childhood to adulthood. This book consists of three
138
parts.
In the first part, Gail Devers tells of her childhood to high school
days. She starts running at the age of six. She runs against her brother
and neighbor boys all the time, which makes her both quick and strong.
As she plays with boys, she and her parents realize her athletic talent.
She starts seriously training under Coach Gene Alim when she enters in
high school.
The second parts focuses on her university days. She enters
UCLA and trains under well-known coach, Bob Kersee, where she
enhances her fame as being national representative athlete. When she
cannot improve her times, she thinks it is a “slump”. However, it turns
out that she has Grace’ Disease.
The third part is about her days to fight against Grace’ Disease,
which makes her depressed. The disease her body to swell, and she
cannot even jog. Radioactive therapy leads to her gradual recovering.
She begins dreaming of running faster and setting a world record. As
she restarts daily training and her condition gets better, she becomes an
Olympian and sets a world record in a sprit event.
6. Terms
Athletes
Gail Devers (1966- ): a former American track and field athlete, who
kept competing at the age of 40.
For more information:
139
http://www.biography.com/people/gail-devers-40831
Athletic Organizations
IAAF World Cross Country Championship: #18
Major Competitions
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA): #10
Prefontaine Classic: #30
Millrose Games: an annual track and field meet held in New York by
The Millrose Track Club.
For more information: http://www.nyrrmillrosegames.org/#2016
Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes
Grace’s Disease: a disease, causing an immune system disorder that
results in the overproduction of thyroid.
For more information:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/graves-disease/bas
ics/definition/con-20025811
C. Commentary
This autobiography is unlike other athletic ones in that Devers
introduces her athletic career interview-style. She tells about herself by
answering children’s questions at an elementary school or visiting a track
and field club. Her way of speaking seems to be a new development in
running literature.
Another pertinent thing about this book is that her story is not only
140
about being an internationally famous athlete but also an emphasis on her
mental toughness. Most athletes suffer from bad performance, known as a
slump, and it is often mentioned in an autobiography. In her case, a serious
disease caused her bad performance. Readers can know how she conquers
her affiliation and the type of suffering she endured.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Gail Devers, My Life in Story: Stronger by Gail
Devers and Braxton Cosby. n.d. Web. Accessed 9 November 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Gail-Devers-My-Life-Story/dp/1537713329.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Gail Devers, My Life in Story: Stronger by Gail
Devers and Braxton Cosby. n.d. Web. Accessed 9 November 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23638123-my-life-in-story.
#36. Foreman, Ken. The Fragile Champion: Doris Brown, Who Always
Ran the Extra Mile. Tate, Mustang, OK, 2014. 170p.
A. Author
Ken Foreman (1922- )
A former national head coach best known for Team USA, the USA
World Cross Country Team, and who also served as the AAU Women’s LDR
Chair. He currently lives in Hawaii, where he coaches cross country and
141
track and field team. His other publications are Track and Field Techniques
for Girls and Women (W.C. Brown, Dubuque, IA, 1965), Coaching Track
and Field Techniques (W.C. Brown, Dubuque, IA, 1982) and A Coach's
Journey: From a Sand Lot to the Olympic Stadium (Tate Pub, Mustang, OK,
2010).
B. Work
1. Genre
Biography
2. Period Covered
1960 to 1998
3. Setting
Seattle, Washington; New York City, New York; and Tacoma,
Washington
4. Main Characters
Doris Brown: a distance runner, the protagonist
Ed Temple: “the most widely respected women’s coach in the world”
(13).
Ken Foreman: Doris’ track coach at Seattle Pacific University
Vicki Foltz, Trina Hosmer, Laurel Miller and Debbie Quatier: Doris’
running teammates
5. Plot Summary
Her coach Ken Foreman writes this biography of Doris Brown,
142
with a main focus on her athletic career during her college days.
Ken Foreman, a famous track and field coach known for
developing female athletes, was working at Seattle Pacific University.
He first knew Doris Brown when he saw her jogging hard outside
while wrapping her leg hard. He wondered who she was and why she
wrapped her leg while jogging.
A few days after her saw her, Doris visited his office, where she
talked about her running and her dream of being a successful runner.
Ken Foreman began coaching her from the next day. She trained
mostly with men who belonging to the track and field team there.
Under Ken’s hard training and mental support, she won successively
the World Championship in cross-country and at the Pan American
Games. As she became widely known and the recognition of women’s
sports, donations for supporting her were provided. In this biography,
Ken Foreman writes about her athletic career and the days they spent
together.
6. Terms
Athletes
Beth Bonner (1952-1998): a former American distance runner, the first
winner of the women’s division of the New York City Marathon.
Cheryl Bridges (1947- ): a former American marathoner who held
the world record in the marathon.
Cindy Bremser (1953- ): a former American distance runner, who
143
won a silver medal in the 1500m at the 1983 Pan American Games.
Doris Brown (1942- ): a former American middle-distance runner,
the first woman to run a sub-5 minute 1,500m.
For more information:
http://www.usatf.org/halloffame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=24
Jim Ryun (1947- ): #4
Roger Bannister (1929- ): #4
Athletic Organizations
The Athletics Congress (TAC): #4
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU): #3
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA): #10
Major Competitions
Pan American Games: #5
Injuries
Shin splints: a pain along the shin bone (tibia), which is caused by
overuse.
C. Commentary
The abundant appendix and detailed biography is notable in this book.
The appendix includes the improvement of her records and training log.
These sources give runners hints for their own training. In this point, this
book can be read as training book. Another interesting point is this is merely
one woman’s biography. Foreman writes about Doris’ athletic career
144
precisely but also about his trouble occurred by coaching women athletes at
that time, when women were not allow to enter a stadium and train with men.
Coaching Doris increased confusion among other track coaches. Ken also
confesses his distress in this book. Not only her biography but also
historical aspects of the gradual recognition of women in sports are
introduced in this book.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of The Fragile Champion: Doris Brown Who Always
Ran the Extra Mile by Ken Foreman. n.d. Web. Accessed 29 October
2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Fragile-Champion-Doris-Brown-Always/dp/1
598861190.
Goodreads.com Rev. of The Fragile Champion: Doris Brown Who Always
Ran the Extra Mile by Ken Foreman. n.d. Web. Accessed 29 October
2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/809553.The_Fragile_Champion
.
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#37. McCracken, James M. Running. CreateSpace, North Charleston, SC,
2014. 46p.
A. Author (n.d.)
Born and raised in Pendleton, Oregon. He worked for a
telecommunications company. While working, he pursued a career as a
writer. He published his first novel, Secrets the Wallace Family
(CreateSpace, North Charleston, SC, 1998), and his other work is The
Millionth Year (CreateSpace, North Charleston, SC, 2012).
B. Work
1. Genre
Novel
2. Period Covered
2000s
3. Setting
Eugene, Oregon
4. Main Characters
Donald and Jeffrey: boys bullying Ollie
Gray: Ollie’s friend
Ollie: the protagonist who loves running
Ollie’s parents
Uncle Travor: Olllie’s uncle, a psychologist working in San Francisco
146
5. Plot Summary
Ollie, the protagonist, narrates the story of his exposure to and
acceptance of the fact he is gay. He comes to think of himself through a
traumatic experience when Donald and Jeffrey rape him.
Ollie is a high school student who loves running. He often goes to
the track and runs. One day, when he is on the way home, his classmates
Donald and Jeffrey hide on the street where he runs and sexually assault
him. They punched him, and took his clothes off. When they rape him,
he feels confused and then good. From the incident, he wonders whether
he is gay or not.
His mother senses his trouble and finally tells her suspicions to
uncle Travor, who is also a gay and currently works as psychologist. By
meeting with uncle Travor, Ollie comes to know who he is and accepts
the fact. This story is about a boy’s pain and realization of his
sexuality.
C. Commentary
Unlike other running books, this book is about a boy who loves
running and realizes he is gay. For Ollie, running is one of the ways to
escape from emotional things-his sadness, confusion and unease-rather than
as a serious athlete. In this point, it is unique and the first book to mention
sexuality in running literature.
147
D. Major Secondary Sources
James McCracken (his own web page): http://www.jamesmmccracken.com
Amazon.com. Rev. of Running, by James McCracken. n.d. Web. Accessed 21
October 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Running-James-M-McCracken/dp/150282814
6.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Running, by James McCracken. n.d. Web. Accessed
21 October 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28118299-running.
#38. Odeh, Rami F. Quiet the Noise: A Trail Runner's Path to Hearing
God. Tate, Mustang, OK, 2014. 164p.
A. Author (n.d.)
An author, amateur triathlete, and runner who graduated from
American College with two degrees, one in Industrial Psychology and the
other in Exercise Physiology. He is currently the president of FormWell
Personal Fitness Training. He also had eleven years of experience at a
hospital in the department of Exercise Physiologist, and he worked as a
presenter related to health issues.
148
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
1976 to 2011
3. Setting
Sandy Springs, Georgia and New York City, New York
4. Main Characters
Heather: Rami’s wife
Matt: “a very accomplished triathlete and endurance sport coach” (63)
Mike: Rami’s half-brother
Rami F. Odeh: a runner, the protagonist
Ryan and Hana: Rami’s son and daughter
5. Plot Summary
This book follows his childhood to present day life, with his
experience of integrating with nature and hearing God through
running.
The author first hated running but started after watching on a
triathlon (swim, bike, run) TV, which gave him an impression of the
participant’s toughness. He comes to pour his energy into training.
After four years, he entered his first sprint triathlon (750 m swim,
20k-bike ride and 5k-run) and then his first marathon, too. After
149
finishing his first competition, he repeatedly challenges marathons and
trail runs.
Through running great distances his nature, he experiences a
mysterious moment, hearing God’s voice. In this book he writes about
his lifetime, the reason he runs, and its influence on his life.
6. Terms
Major Competitions
Mountain Mist 50K: a marathon held in Monte Sano State Park, where
runners are required to ascend 3526 feet, hosted by the Huntsville
Track Club.
Pine Mountain Trail Run: 40-mile ultramarathon held in Pine
Mountain, Georgia, where runners must run over rocky
single-track trails.
For more information:
https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=38479
Walt Disney World Marathon: a marathon held in Orland, Florida,
with distances ranging from 5K, 10K, half-marathon to a full
marathon. This marathon started in1994, when 5,588 runners
attended and now 55,000 gather annually.
For more information:
http://www.rundisney.com/disneyworld-marathon/
C. Commentary
150
This book not only introduces running tips, food intake, training
plans and setting goals, but also has a strong religious taste. (He is
Catholic.) The “Noise” in the title of the book means the anxiety, pain, and
chatter in his head when he runs great distances and is in a harsh situation.
In that situation, he erases such “noise(s)” and comes to listen to God. He
wants to experience that moment more than winning competitions. In this
respect, this book is unlike other running books.
D. Major Secondary Sources
FormWell (his company’s web page): http://www.formwell.com
Amazon.com. Rev. of Quiet the Noise: A Trail Runner's Path to Hearing
God, by Rami F. Odeh. n.d. Web. Accessed 15 August 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Noise-Rami-F-Odeh/dp/1629021121.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Quiet the Noise: A Trail Runner's Path to Hearing
God, by Rami F. Odeh. n.d. Web. Accessed 15 August 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19834754-quiet-the-noise.
151
#39. Webb, Margaret. Older Faster Stronger: What Women Runners can
Teach us all about Living Younger, Longer. Rodale, Emmaus, PA, 2014.
304p.
A. Author (1960- )
A distance runner, author, journalist, and screenwriter, who graduated from the University of Toronto. She is the author of Apples to Oysters: A Food
Lover's Tour of Canadian Farms (Viking Canada, Toronto, 2008), a winner of the Canadian Culinary Award in food writing. She also co-wrote the film
Margarita, a romantic comedy on Netflix3 in 2014.
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
1980s to 2013
3. Setting
Toronto, Canada
4. Main Characters
Carol: Margaret’s sister
Cindy: Carol’s daughter, an experienced runner
Elaine McCrea: Margaret’s running coach
3 An American entertainment company, which provides video online and by DVD by mail. 152
Margaret Webb: the protagonist, a distance runner
Margaret’s mother: one of the motivations for Webb’s athletic career
Mary: Margaret’s running partner
5. Plot Summary
This is an autobiography of Margaret Webb, who writes about
the way she is motivated to run, going to the World Masters Games
while overcoming injuries, health problem and daily training.
Margaret Webb began running at the age of 50 “to test herself on
the world stage by competing in the half-marathon at the World
Masters Games in Turin, Italy, to see where I stood amongst some of
the fittest 50-year-old women in the world” (2). She was also inspired
to attend a half-marathon by her sister, Carol, who was indifferent to
sports in her adolescence. Carol suddenly started going to a gym,
where she saw an advertisement and decided to enter. Carol finished
second in her age group, and asked Margaret to run together with her.
While becoming famous as a marathoner, she faces injuries and health
problems. In this book, she shares her experience of each competition
and of becoming a subject for sports science researchers, but also the
way she overcomes her problems.
6. Terms
Athletes
Dean Karnazes (1962- ): an American ultramarathoner, a winner of
many prestigious races such as Badwater Ultramarathon, Death
153
Valley and Western States Endurance Run.
Ellie Greenwood (1979- ): a British ultramarathoner, a two-time
100km World Champion, who started running in 2008.
Jeanne Daprano (1936- ): a former American distance runner and
teacher, the first woman over 75 to run under seven minutes in the
mile.
Karla Del Grande (1953- ): a Canadian sprinter, who set three world
records, in the 100m, 200m and 400m, at the World Master
Athletics Championship.
Killian Jornet Burgada (1987- ): a Spanish ultramarathoner and ski
mountaineer, who wins many ultramarathons and is recognized as
an elite distance runner.
Linda Somers Smith (1961- ): a winner of the Chicago Marathon in
1992 and the California International in 1993, and also competing
in the 1996 Olympic Games.
Lizzy Hawker (1976- ): a British distance runner, a world record
holder for 24-hour road running.
Pam Reed (1961- ): an American ultramarathoner, the first woman to
become the overall winner of the Badwater Ultramarathon, known
as one of the toughest ultramarathons.
Rory Bosio (1984- ): an American ultramarathoner, a former winner
of Ultra-Trail Mont-Blanc.
Steve Prefontaine (1951-1975): #3
154
Major Competitions
Boston Marathon: #11
New York City Marathon: #11
Badwater Ultramarathon: #27
Vancouver Half-Marathon: a marathon held in Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada, the second-largest international marathon in
Canada.
For more information: http://bmovanmarathon.ca
Nike Women’s Half Marathon: a marathon, started in 2003, which is
run on the street of San Francisco, and which attacks over 20,000
runners each year.
Sparatathlon Ultra Race: an ultramarathon held in Athens, where
runners run 246 kilometers, taking place since 1983.
For more information: http://spartathlon.gr/en/
Injuries
Achilles Tendonitis: #3
Repetitive-strain injuries (RSI): an injury occurring through
repetitive moment and overuse, giving the pain felt in muscles,
nerves, and tendons.
Training Methods
Active recovery: an exercise to “facilities lactate and metabolic waste
removal by maintain blood flow in muscles during recovery”
For more information:
155
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/active+recovery
Carbohydrate loading: a strategy involving changes to training and
nutrition that can maximize muscle glycol (carbohydrate) stores
prior to endurance competition.
For more information:
http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/factsheets/competition_an
d_training/carbohydrate_loading
Circuit training: a fast-paced training in which you do one exercise for
30 seconds to 5 minutes and then move on to another exercise.
For more information:
http://www.dummies.com/health/exercise/what-is-circuit-
training/
Dynamic stretching: a functional-based exercise, which uses sport-
specific movements to prepare the body for movement.
For more information:
http://www.elitesoccerconditioning.com/Stretching-Flexibility/
DynamicStretchingvsStaticStretching.htm
Plyometric: an exercise involving repeated rapid stretching and
contracting of muscles to increase muscle power.
For more information:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plyometrics
Periodization: a strategy to promote long-term training and
performance improvements with preplanned, systematic variations
156
in training specificity, intensity, and volume organized in periods
or cycles within an overall program.
For more information:
http://www.famu.edu/CampusRec/UserFiles/File/Trainer%20and%
20Intern%20Resources/CSCS%20Track/Periodization%20CSCS%
20.pdf
Strength training: a method of improving muscular strength by
gradually increasing the ability to resist force through the use of
free weights, machines, or the person’s own body weight.
For more information:
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/strength+training
Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes
VO2 Max: #24
Anaerobic threshold (AT): #24
Athlete Burnout: physical and emotional exhaustion, which leads to
the athlete becoming sunk in depression.
Athletic Organizations
International Women’s Sports Federation: an international
organization, founded in 1921, to support women athletes to
compete in international sports events.
For more information:
http://www.sportsbiz.bz/womensportinternational/
157
C. Commentary
This is not just her training log or report on each competition, but it
is also more like a training journal. She introduces 22 researchers, including
professors of sports science, and some of the research outcomes are quoted
in this book. She writes an inspiring story as an athlete giving useful tips on
running with a scientific aspect, which makes it possible to benefit from
both aspects.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Margaret Webb (her own web page): http://margaretwebb.com
Amazon.com. Rev. of Older Faster Stronger: What Women Runners can
Teach us all about Living Younger, Longer by Margaret Webb. n.d.
Web. Accessed 16 June 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Older-Faster-Stronger-Runners-Younger/
dp/1623361699/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Older Faster Stronger: What Women Runners can
Teach us all about Living Younger, Longer by Margaret Webb. n.d.
Web. Accessed 16 June 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20696045-older-faster-
stronger.
158
2015
#40. Angie, Jill. Running with Curves: Why You're not too Fat to Run,
and the Skinny on how to Start Today. Difference, Washington, 2015.
128p.
A. Author (n.d.)
An author, personal trainer, and runner. Her educational and adult
background are not motioned. Her other book is Not Your Average Half
Marathon: A Practical Training Plan for Beginning Runners (Difference,
Washington, 2016), which is sold in Kindle. She writes mostly on the reason
she started running, losing weight and its experience.
B. Work
1. Genre
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
2001 to 2013
3. Setting
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
4. Main Characters
Abby and Gina: a runner and Jill’s running friend
159
Jill Angie: runner and the protagonist
Ken: Jill’s husband
5. Plot Summary
This is the story of Angie Jill, who shares sympathetically her
experience and provides running tips.
Jill Angie, who weighed 278 pounds (126 kg) at her peak, first
tried to lose weight when she was 12. She had cultivated her complex
about her body from childhood. She tried to lose weight many times by
excessive dieting, which leads her to lose 30 to 50 pounds successfully.
Even when she neared 200 pounds, she could not gain self-confidence
and her complex became even stronger. She feels the limit to losing
weight by herself.
One day, however, she decides to start running as a new method
to lose weight, but she also signs up for a trainer. She finally loses 100
pounds through running. She gains confidence and improves her
self-esteem through running and communicating with people she meets
when she runs. In this book, she writes her experience, the process of
improving from being obese to fit, and also gives running tips.
6. Terms
Athletes
Dean Karnazes (1962- ): #39
Major Competitions
Broad Street Run: the largest 10-mile road race in the United States,
160
which attracts over 40,000 runners each year.
For more information: http://www.broadstreetrun.com
Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes
Achilles tendonitis: #3
Shin splints: #36
Patellar tendinitis: an injury to the tendon connecting the kneecap to
the shinbone, known as jumper’s knee and common for athletes
whose sports involve frequent jumping.
For more information:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/patellar-ten
dinitis/basics/definition/con-20024441
C. Commentary
This book is full of tips on running she recommends, unlike other
running books with a description of an ordinary athlete who comes to be
recognized as a great runner. In this sense, this book can be read as a “how
to start running” guide for beginners or people needing to lose weight. She
is not a professional athlete, and she starts running to lose weight, so her
successful experience seems convincing. The story itself can be read as the
way she gains confidence and becomes fit, but she frequently advertises her
website in the book, which is an unfortunate point.
D. Major Secondary Sources
161
Jill Angie (her own web page): www.NotYourAverageRunner.com
Amazon.com. Rev. of Running with Curves: Why You're not too Fat to Run,
and the Skinny on how to Start Today by Jill Angie. n.d. Web. Accessed
11 October 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H1FJKA8.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Running with Curves: Why You're not too Fat to
Run, and the Skinny on how to Start Today, by Jill Angie. n.d. Web.
Accessed 11 October 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19278426-running-with-
curves.
#41. Ayers, Dana L. Confessions of an Unlikely Runner: A Guide to
Racing and Obstacle Courses for the Averagely Fit and Halfway
Dedicated. Difference, Washington, D.C., 2015. 168p.
A. Author (n.d.)
An author and runner, who has a Master’s degree in communication.
Her first job was as a White House staffer and she currently works for a
management-consulting firm in Washington, D.C.
B. Work
1. Genre
162
Autobiography
2. Period Covered
2002 to 2014
3. Setting
Washington, D.C.
4. Main Characters
Dana Ayer: former White House staffer and runner, the protagonist
Matt and Kami: Dana’s friends
Tiffani: Dana’s best friend from college
5. Plot Summary
This is an autobiography of Dana Ayer, describing her life as a
runner rather than how private life.
Dana Ayer is not naturally athletic and she grew up as more of a
book nerd. When she was in high school, she belonged to a basketball
team but realizes she does not have great reflexes. In her collegiate days,
she plays no sports. After graduation, she begins working as a White
House staffer, and gradually realizes that Washington is full of runners.
Inspired by people running outside as seen from her office and by
the 5K race President Bush created, she decides to start running. In that
year, she runs another 5K race and becomes addicted to running. With
this as a turning point in her running life, she runs many marathons,
including the Nike Women’s Marathon, the Army Ten-Miler, and the
Tough Mudder.
163
She writes about her days from elementary school to college,
where she is disappointed at her lack of athletic ability, and in working,
when she abruptly starts running and her experience in marathons.
6. Terms
Major Competitions
Army Ten-Miler (ATM): the second largest ten-mile race in the
United States, held in Arlington, VA and Washington, DC, which
is sponsored by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington.
For more information: http://www.armytenmiler.com
Nike Women’s Half Marathon: #39
Tough Mudder: a 12-mile running course with 26 obstacles along the
way, and which is “touted as something only the fiercest people
could finish” (34).
For more information: https://toughmudder.com
Ranger Relay: “It occurs in various regions across the U.S. Teams
typically consist of 12 people. The routes are a total of 200 miles
and take about 25 to 35 hours to complete. The race is continuous,
so teams must have a runner on the course the entire time” (50).
For more information: https://www.runragnar.com
Boston Marathon: #11
Training Methods
Cross-training: “Training in two or more sports in order to improve
fitness and performance, especially in a main sport” (83).
164
C. Commentary
Eight marathons are mentioned in this book with Dana’s experiences,
and it is rare for women to attend so many marathons, but also tell about
them in one book. One of the most curious marathons she mentions is the
Nike Women’s Marathon, which began in 2003 inspired by the victory of
Joan Benoit Samuelson at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Until
then, the Olympic marathon had been only a men’s event. By 2000, runners
like Pam Reed, the woman ultramarathoner, showed that women could
compete equally with men in that sport. The founding of the Nike Women’s
Marathon changed consciousness about the event, and the number of
running book by women may continue to increase.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Confessions of an Unlikely Runner: A Guide to Racing
and Obstacle Courses for the Averagely Fit and Halfway Dedicated, by
Dana Ayer. n.d. Web. Accessed 10 October 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Unlikely-Runner-Averagely-
Dedicated-ebook/dp/B014OKNOS6.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Confessions of an Unlikely Runner: A Guide to
Racing and Obstacle Courses for the Averagely Fit and Halfway
Dedicated, by Dana Ayer. n.d. Web. Accessed 10 October 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26204920-confessions-of-an-u
165
nlikely-runner.
#42. McDougall, Christopher. Natural Born Heroes: Mastering the Lost
Secrets of Strength and Endurance. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2015.
352p.
A. Author (1962- )
An American author and journalist, but also a runner who graduated
from Harvard University. He is also the author of the best-selling Born to
Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World has
never Seen (London: Profile, 2015). McDougall is now a contributing editor
for Men’s Health and is a three-time National Magazine Award finalist.
B. Work
1. Genre
Essay
2. Period Covered
1940s to2000s
3. Setting
Crete, a Greek island in the eastern Mediterranean; Pennsylvania
4. Main Characters
Checkley Edwin: the advocate of the Natural Method Training
166
Christopher McDougall: an author and the protagonist
Erwan Le Corre: the advocate of the Natural Method
Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller: a general in the German Army
George Psychoundakis: a Greek Resistance fighter, serving as a
dispatch runner
Heinrich Kreipe: a German career soldier, serving in World War II
Patric Leigh Fermor: a member of the SOE, Special Operations
Executive
Phil Maffetone: the advocate of the Maffetone Method
Resident on Crete Island
William Stanley Moss: a member of the SOE
5. Plot Summary
This book consists of two main parts: first, on the Battle of Crete
and on fitness, introducing some theories in the second part.
During World War II, a pack of resistance fighters abducts a
German general from the heart of the Nazi occupation. He wonders how
the untrained resistance in Crete could accomplish such a feat, which
required them to run a great distance without rest. He finds them and
experiences their life style to find the answer. After his adventure on
Crete, he goes back to a laboratory and elucidates their strength based
on the modern physiological perspective.
C. Commentary
The fascination of this book is that this story can be read as a
167
dramatic historical account of the Battle of Crete, but the analysis on his
research based on the modern physiological science, introduces training new
methods. The story of the adventure on Crete is engaging, but this book also
contributes to the modern running world.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Christopher McDougall (his own web page):
http://www.chrismcdougall.com/buy-natural-born-heroes-from-these-
sellers/
Amazon.com. Rev. of Natural Born Heroes: How a Daring Band of Misfits
Mastered the Lost Secrets of Strength and Endurance by Christopher
McDougall. n.d. Web. Accessed 20 January 2016.
http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Born-Heroes-Mastered-Endurance-
ebook/dp/B00NRQI5U6#customerReviews.
Goodreads.com Rev. of Natural Born Heroes: How a Daring Band of Misfits
Mastered the Lost Secrets of Strength and Endurance by Christopher
McDougall. n.d. Web. Accessed 20 January 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22889750-natural-born-
heroes.
168
#43. Sandrock, Michael. Frank Shorter-The Man Who Invented Running:
Running with the Legends. Bauu, Golden, CO, 2015. 28p.
A. Author (n.d.)
The author is an award-wining sport journalist and runner. His
publications often appear in Running Times, Runner’s World, Marathon &
Beyond, and Trail Runner. He is also a founder of the Shoes for Africa
project, which sends used equipment to underprivileged athletes around the
world.
B. Work
1. Genre
Biography
2. Period Covered
1970s to 1980s
3. Setting
Gainesville, Florida; Eugene, Oregon; and New York City, New York
4. Main Characters
Bob Geigengack: Yale’s longtime track coach, a United States Olympic
coach
Frank Shorter: a former American long-distance runner who won the
gold medal in the marathon at the 1972 Summer Olympics
Katherine Shorter: Frank’s mother
169
Samuel Shorter: Frank’s father, a former United States Army doctor
stationed in Germany
5. Plot Summary
This is a biography of Frank Shorter, who won a gold medal at the
1972 Summer Olympic Games.
Frank Shorter was born in Munich, Germany, and grew up in New
York. He started running seriously when he was a junior student at Mt.
Hermon prep school. As he trained, he became one of the top runners in
Massachusetts. In his collegiate days, he trained under Coach Bob
Geigengack, a U.S. Olympic coach, and he enhanced his athletic fame
by winning a gold medal at the 1972 Summer Olympic. This book
describes his life from childhood to adulthood, but also includes
influences on society at that time.
6. Terms
Athletes
Abebe Bikila (1932-1973): #1
Albert Michelsen (1893-1964): an American long-distance runner, the
first person to break 2:30 in the marathon.
Amby Burfoot (1946- ): #4
Arturo Barrios (1962- ): a former Mexican long-distance runner, a
gold medalist in the 5,000m at the 1987 and 1991 Pan American
Games.
Bill Rodgers (1947- ): #11
170
Buddy Edelen (1937- ): a former American marathoner, a first man
to run a marathon faster than 2 hours and 15 minutes, who lived in
England for most of his prime competitive years.
Karel Lismont (1949- ): a former Belgian long-distance runner, who
won silver and bronze medals in the marathon at 1972 Munich and
the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.
Kenny Moore (1943- ): a former American long-distance runner, a
forth-place finisher in the marathon at the 1972 Munich Olympic
Games, who trained under Bill Bowerman, a famous coach and a
co-founder of Nike.
Kip Keino (1940- ): a former Kenyan middle- and long-distance
runner, a gold medalist in the 1,500m at the 1968 Mexico City
Olympic Games, who currently is chairman of the Kenyan
Olympic Committee.
Ron Clarke (1937-2015): #3
Athletic Organizations
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU): #3
International Olympic Committee (IOC): #3
Major Competitions
Boston Marathon: #11
New York City Marathon: #11
Fukuoka Marathon: an annual marathon held in Fukuoka Prefecture,
Japan, an IAAF Gold Label international marathon race.
171
For more information: http://www.fukuoka-marathon.com/en/
Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon: an annual marathon held in Shiga
Prefecture, Japan, an IAAF Label international marathon.
For more information:
http://www.lakebiwa-marathon.com/index_e.html
C. Commentary
This book gives the reader knowledge of the origin of the first
running boom, but it also details Shorter’s significance in running history in
the 1970s to 1980s, which is a precious source for learning about the
movement. There are only two books, this book and Cameron Stracher’s
Kings of the Road, that stress the significance of a few famous runners in
beginning the running boom, on which the current running habit was
founded. This book not only gives us a biography of Shorter but also lets us
know the changes in the running world.
D. Major Secondary Sources
Amazon.com. Rev. of Frank Shorter-The Man Who Invented Running:
Running with the Legends by Michael Sandrock. n.d. Web. Accessed 15
September 2016.
https://www.amazon.com/Frank-Shorter-Invented-Running-Legends-eb
ook/dp/B00XAK9472/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483937054&sr=8-1
&keywords=Frank+Shorter+the+man+who+invented.
172
Goodreads.com Rev. of Frank Shorter-The Man Who Invented Running:
Running with the Legends by Michael Sandrock. n.d. Web. Accessed 15
September 2016.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1437773.Running_with_the_Le
gends.
173
IV. Indexes
A: Athletes
[A] Brown, Tarzan, #21
Abrahams, Harold, #25, #31 Brown, Doris, #36
Brown, Geoffrey, #31
[B] Bubka, Sergey, #5
Bacheler, Jack, #4 Burfoot, Amby, #4, #11, #43
Bailey, Angela, #5 Burgada, Killian Jornet., #39
Bannister, Roger, #4, #32, #36 Burrell, Leroy, #5
Barrios, Arturo, #43
Beamon, Bob, #3, #5 [C]
Bikila, Abebe, #1, #43 Cameron, Bert, #32
Biwott, Amos, #3 Carnes, Jimmy, #4
Bjorklund, Garry, #34 Cassell, Ollan, #5
Blake, Yohan, #33 Christie, Linford, #5
Bonner, Beth, #36 Clark, Cletus, #5
Borchmeyer, Erich, #25 Clarke, Ron, #3, #4, #43
Bosio, Rory, #39 Coe, Sebastian, #4
Bowerman, Bill, #9, #21 Coghlan, Eamonn, #15
Bremser, Cindy, #36 Cram, Steve, #4
Bridges, Cheryl, #36 Cruz, Joaquim, #5
174
Cunningham, Glenn, #3 [G]
Cuthbert, Betty, #16 Galloway, Jeff, #4
Gatlin, Justin, #33
[D] Geesler, John, #27
Daniel, Lorenzo, #5 Gibb, Roberta, #11
Daprano, Jeanne, #39 Grande, Karla Del., #39
DeLoach, Joe, #5 Greenwood, Ellie, #39
DeMar, Clarence, #11
Decker, Mary, #4, #5 [H]
Devers, Gail, #35 Hawker, Lizzy, #39
Durden, Benji, #4 Heine, Jutta, #16
Hick, Thomas, #12
[E] Hudson, Martha, #16
Edelen, Buddy, #12, #43 Hyman, Dorothy, #16
Ehret, Stephanie, #27
Evangelisti, Givanni, #5 [I]
Everett, Danny, #5 Inagaki, Sumie, #27
[F] [J]
Fanelli, Gary, #4 Johnson, Ben, #5, #25
Fitch, Horatio, #31 Johnson, Michael, #30
Fixx, Jim, #4 Jones, Barbara, #16
Jurek, Scott, #27, #29
175
[K] [O]
Karnazes, Dean, #19, #29, #40 Orr, Lee, #25
Keino, Kip, #43 Ovett, Steve, #4
Kelly, John, #11 Owens, Jesse, #25
Kenny, Moore, #43
Kristianesen, Ingrid, #18 [P]
Paddock, Charley, #31
[L] Prefontaine, Steve, #4, #9, #39
Lagat, Bernard, #30
Liddell, Eric, #31 [R]
Lismont, Karel, #43 Radcliffe, Paula, #18
Lough, Gary, #18 Reed, Pam, #27, #39
Reynolds, Butch, #5
[M] Robinson, Mack, #25
MacDonald, Duncan, #3 Rodgers, Bill, #11, #21, #34, #43
McArthur, Kenneth, #12 Rudolph, Wilma, #8, #16
McKenley, Herb, #32 Ryun, Jim, #3, #4, #36
Michelsen, Albert, #43
Middleman, Dan, #10 [S]
Salazar, Alberto, #21, #34
[N] Samuelson, Joan, #11
Newton, Arther, #12 Sanford, James, #5
Nurumi, Paavo, #1, #12 Scholz, Jackson, #31
176
Sekiya, Ryoichi, #27 White, Martha, #34
Shorter, Frank, #4, #11, #34, #43 Whitfield, Mal, #32
Smith, Linda Somers., #39 Wilt, Fred, #12
Switzer, Katharine, #27
[Y]
[V] Young, Kevin, #5
Virgin, Craig, #34
[Z]
[W] Zabala, Juan, #12
Wells, Allan, #5 Zatopek, Emil, #11
177
B: Athletic Organizations
[A]
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), #3, #25, #36, #43
[B]
Big Ten Conference (BIG10), #25
[I]
International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), #4
International Olympic Committee (IOC), #4,#25, #43
International Women’s Sports Federation, #39
[N]
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), #10, #25, #34, #35, #36
Nike Oregon Project, #34
[T]
The Athletics Congress (TAC), #4, #5, #36
[U]
United States Olympic Committee (USOC), #25
178
C: Major Competitions
[H]
[A] Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance,
Army Ten-Miler, #41 #27
[B] [I]
Badwater Ultramarathon, #27, #29 IAAF World Cross Country
Big Sur International Marathon, #27 Championship, #18, #35
Boston Marathon, #11, #12, #14,
#21, #27, #39, #41, #43 [L]
Broad Street Run, #40 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, #43
Leadville Trail 100 Run, #27
[C] London Marathon, #14, #18, #27
Chevron Houston Marathon, #14
Chicago Marathon, #18, #27 [M]
Commonwealth Games, #18, #32 Marine Corps Marathon (MCM),
Comrades Marathon, #11 #11
Millrose Games, #25
[F] Mountain Mist 50K, #38
Falmouth Road Race, #34
Fukuoka Marathon, #43 [N]
New York City Marathon, #11, #14,
[G] #16, #21, #27, #39, #43
Grandma’s Marathon, #21 Nike Women’s Half Marathon, #39,
#41
179
[P] [T]
Pan America Games, #5, #35 Tough Mudder, #41
Pikes Peak Marathon, #27
Pine Mountain Trail Run, #38 [U]
Polytechnic Marathon (Polly), #12 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, #11
Prefontaine Classics, #30, #35
[V]
[R] Vancouver Half-Marathon, #39
Ranger Relay, #41
Rock’n Roll Marathon, #27 [W]
Walt Disney World Marathon, #38
[S] Women’s 5K Classic, #22
San Francisco Marathon, #4
Sparatathlon Ultra Race, #39
St. George Marathon, #11, #27
180
D: Injuries
[A]
Achilles Tendonitis, #3, #14, #39, #40
Achilles Tendinopathy, #17
Ankle pain, #17
[R]
Repetitive-strain injuries, #39
[S]
Shin splints, #36, #40
Stress fracture, #18
181
E: Training Methods
[A] [I]
Active recovery, #39 Interval training, #2, #24
[C] [P]
Carbohydrate loading, #39 Periodization, #39
Circuit training, #39 Plyometric, #39
Cross-training, #41
[S]
[D] Strength training, #39
Dynamic stretching, #39
[T]
[F] Tempo run, #14, #23
Fartlek, #14
[V]
[H] VO2 Max, #24, #39
High-attitude training, #18
182
F: Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athletes
[A]
Anabolic steroid: #2, #5
Anaerobic threshold (AT), #24, #39
Anemia, #12, #14
Anorexia, #27
Athlete Burnout, #39
[C]
Core muscle, #33
[D]
Grace’s Disease, #35
[H]
Hypernatremia, #27
Homeostasis, #2
[I]
Iliotibial Band Syndrome, #17
[L]
Lactic Acid, #2, #24
183
V. Appendixes
A: Athletes
[A]
Abebe Bikila (1932-1973), #1, #43: an Ethiopian marathoner, a gold medalist at
1960 Rome and 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, famous for running barefoot.
Albert Michelsen (1893-1964), #43: an American long-distance runner, the
first person to break 2:30 in the marathon.
Alberto Salazar (1958- ), #21, #34: a long-distance runner, winner of 1982
World Cross Country Championships.
Allan Wells (1952- ), #5: a former British sprinter, who became a champion at
the 1980 Olympic Games in 100m.
Angela Bailey (1962- ), #5: a former Canadian track and field athlete, who
accomplished good results in international competitions.
Amby Burfoot (1946- ), #4, #11, #43: an American marathoner, winner of the
1968 Boston Marathon, who currently works as an editor of the Runner’s
World.
Amos Biwott (1947- ), #3: a former Kenyan distance runner, winner of the
3000m steeplechase at the 1968 Olympics.
Bob Beamon (1946- ), #3, #5: a former American long jumper, who set a
world record at the 1968 Olympics in the long jump.
Arther Newton (1883-1950), #12: an American Olympian, specializing in
long-distance races, a fourth-place finisher at the 1900 Olympic Marathon.
184
Arturo Barrios (1962- ), #43: a former Mexican long-distance runner, a gold
medalist in the 5,000m at the 1987 and 1991 Pan American Games.
[B]
Barbara Jones (1973- ), #16: a former American sprinter, a winner in the
100m and 4x100mR at the 1955 Pan American Games in Mexico City.
Ben Johnson (1961- ), #5, #25: a Jamaican-born Canadian sprinter, who was a
world-record holder at the 1987 World Championship.
Benji Durden (1951- ), #4: a former American distance runner. He could not
achieve a major result in international competition but was widely known as
one of the successful runners in the U.S.
Bernard Lagat (1974- ), #30: a Kenyan-American middle- and long-distance
runner, who has won at the World Championship and Olympic Games.
Bert Cameron (1959- ), #32: a former Jamaican sprinter, a gold medalist in
the 400m at the 1983 Helsinki World Championships.
Beth Bonner (1952-1998), #36: a former American distance runner, the first
winner of the women’s division of the New York City Marathon.
Betty Cuthbert (1938- ), #16: a former Australian sprinter, a world record
holder in the 200m at the 1956 Olympic Games.
Bill Rodgers (1947- ), #11, #21, #34, #43: an American distance runner and a
record holder of the Boston Marathon.
Bob Beamon (1946- ), #3, #5: a former American long jumper, who set a
world record at the 1968 Olympics in the long jump.
185
Buddy Edelen (1937- ), #12, #43: a former American marathoner, a first man
to run a marathon faster than 2 hours and 15 minutes, who lived in England
for most of his prime competitive years.
Butch Reynolds (1964- ), #5: a former American sprinter, a champion of the
1993 World Indoor champion, who was later suspended for two years by the
IAAF for the illegal drug use.
[C]
Charley Paddock (1900-1943), #31: an American sprinter and an actor, who
died in a plane crash.
Cheryl Bridges (1947- ), #36: a former American marathoner who held the
world record in the marathon.
Cindy Bremser (1953- ), #36: a former American distance runner, who won a
silver medal in the 1500m at the 1983 Pan American Games.
Clarence DeMar (1888-1958), #11: an American marathoner, born in Maedeira,
Ohio who was a winner of the Boston Marathon seven times and who won a
bronze medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics.
Cletus Clark (1962- ), #5: a former American hurdler, a winner at the World
Student Games in 1985 and the Pan American Games in 1991
Craig Virgin (1955- ), #34: a former American long-distance runner, who
awards “High School Athlete of the Year” in Track and Field News in 1973.
186
[D]
Dan Middleman (1969- ), #10: a former American distance runner. His record
ranking in 10,000m was second.
Danny Everett (1966- ), #5: a former American 400m runner, a three-time
NCAA winner in the 400m and 4x400mR.
Dean Karnazes (1962- ), #19, #29, #40: an American ultramarathoner, a
winner of many prestigious races such as Badwater Ultramarathon, Death
Valley and Western States Endurance Run.
Doris Brown (1942- ), #36: a former American middle-distance runner, the
first woman to run a sub-5 minute 1,500m.
Dorothy Hyman (1941- ), #16: a former British sprinter, who won a silver
medal in the 100m and a bronze medal in the 200m at the 1960 Rome
Olympic Games, and who was voted Britain’s Sports Personality of the Year
in 1963.
Duncan MacDonald (1949- ), #3: a former American marathoner, a three-time
winner of the Honolulu Marathon.
[E]
Eamonn Coghlan (1952- ), #15: a former Irish long-distance runner, a
three-time Olympian, who specialized in the 5,000m.
Ellie Greenwood (1979- ), #39: a British ultramarathoner, a two-time 100km
World Champion, who started running in 2008.
Emil Zatopek (1922- ), #11: a distance runner, who is best known for winning
187
three gold medals at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.
Eric Liddell (1902-1945), #31: a British sprinter who later works as missionary
in China and dies of a brain tumor.
Erich Borchmeyer (1905-2000), #25 a German sprinter, who won a silver medal
at the 1934 European Championships in the 100m and a bronze medal at the
1936 Berlin Olympic Games.
[F]
Frank Shorter (1947- ), #4, #11, #34, #43: a former American distance
runner who won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1972 Summer
Olympics, and who is said to have ignited the running boom in the 1970s.
Fred Wilt (1920-1994), #12: an American long-distance runner, winning the
James E. Sullivan Award for Best Amateur Athlete in 1950.
[G]
Gail Devers (1966- ), #35: a former American track and field athlete, who
kept competing at the age of 40.
Gary Fanelli (1950- ), #4: a former American distance runner who twice
competed in the Olympic marathon.
Gary Lough (1970- ), #18: a middle distance runner and Paula’s husband.
Garry Bjorklund (1951- ), #34: a former American middle- and long-distance
runner, the U.S representative in the 10,000m at the 1976 Olympic Games,
who later became a marathoner and set a national age group record.
188
Geoffrey Brown (1915-1995), #31: a British sprinter, a silver medalist in the
400m at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.
Givanni Evangelisti (1961- ), #5: a former Italian long jumper, known as an
international athlete, wining a bonze medal in the 1984 Olympic Games.
Glenn Cunningham (1909-1988), #3: a former American middle distance
runner who set a world record in the 800m.
[H]
Harold Abrahams (1899-1978) , #25, #31: a British sprinter, gold medalist at
the 1924 Paris Olympics in the 100m, who graduated from Cambridge
University and worked as a lawyer and journalist after graduation.
Herb McKenley (1922-2007), #32: a Jamaican sprinter, who won silver medals
in the 100m and 400m at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games.
Horatio Fitch (1900-1985), #31: an American sprinter who won the silver
medal at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games in the 400m.
[I]
Ingrid Kristianesen (1956- ), #18: a former Norwegian long-distance runner,
who set world records in the 5000m, 10,000m, the half-marathon, and the
marathon.
[J]
Jackson Scholz (1897-1986), #31: an American sprinter but also a writer, who
189
won a gold medal in the 200m and a silver medal in the 100m at the 1924
Paris Olympic Games.
James Sanford (1957- ), #5: a former American sprinter, a record holder at
100m until Carl Lewis set a new record.
Jeanne Daprano (1936- ), #39: a former American distance runner and
teacher, the first woman over 75 to run under seven minutes in the mile.
Jeff Galloway (1945- ), #4: an American distance runner, who was a member
of the Olympic Team in 1972 at the 10000m. He is an active runner and the
Chief Executive Officer of Galloway Production.
Jesse Owens (1913-1980), #25: An American sprinter, who won three gold
medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, known as the most successful
African-American athlete. He graduated from Ohio State University, where
he trained under Coach Larry Snyder.
Jim Fixx (1932- 1984), #4: a former American distance runner, known as one of
the strong advocates for the health benefits of regular jogging. He died of
the heart attack while jogging at the age of 52.
Jim Ryun (1947- ) , #3, #4, #36: a former American middle distance runner, a
winner of 1,500m at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, who was a
member of the United States House of Representatives from 1996 to 2007.
Jimmy Carnes (1934- ), #4: a head coach of the U.S. Olympic track and field
team and the founder of the Florida Gators track and field team.
Joaquim Cruz (1963- ), #5: a former Brazilian middle-distance runner,
winner of the 800m at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games.
190
Joan Samuelson (1957- ), #11: a marathoner, born in Cape Elizabeth, who
won a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, when the
women’s marathon was introduced.
Joe DeLoach (1967- ), #5: a former American sprinter, a winner of the 200m
at the 1988 Olympic Games.
John Geesler (n.d.), #27: a silver medalist at the 2009 USA 24-Hour Run
National Championship.
Juan Zabala (1911-1983), #12: an American long-distance runner, a winner of
1932 Olympic Marathon in Los Angeles.
Justin Gatlin (1982- ), #33: an American sprinter, who won a gold medal in
the 100m at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and who was later banned
from competition for two years for illegal dug use.
Jutta Heine (1940- ), #16: a former German sprinter, a silver medalist at the
1960 Rome Olympic Games in 200m and 4x100mR, who experienced her
first Olympic when she was nineteen years old.
[K]
Katharine Switzer (1947- ), #27: an American marathoner who was the first
woman to run the Boston Marathon.
Karel Lismont (1949- ), #43: a former Belgian long-distance runner, who won
silver and bronze medals in the marathon at 1972 Munich and the 1976
Montreal Olympic Games.
Karla Del Grande (1953- ), #39: a Canadian sprinter, who set three world
191
records, in the 100m, 200m and 400m, at the World Master Athletics
Championship.
Kenneth McArthur (1881-1960), #12: a winner at the Summer Olympics in
1912, who is called a noted athlete in the United States.
Kenny Moore (1943- ), #43: a former American long-distance runner, a
forth-place finisher in the marathon at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games,
who trained under Bill Bowerman, a famous coach and a co-founder of Nike.
Killian Jornet Burgada (1987- ), #39: a Spanish ultramarathoner and ski
mountaineer, who wins many ultramarathons and is recognized as an elite
distance runner.
Kip Keino (1940- ), #43: a former Kenyan middle- and long-distance runner, a
gold medalist in the 1,500m at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games, who
currently is chairman of the Kenyan Olympic Committee.
Kevin Young (1966- ), #5: a former American 400m hurdler, winner at the
1992 Olympic Games.
[L]
Lee Orr (1917- 2009), #25: a Canadian sprinter, who won a gold medal at the
1938 Sydney Olympics in the 4x440m yard relay. He graduated from
Watchington State University, where he trained under a famous coach, Karl
Schlademan.
Leroy Burrell (1967- ), #5: a former American sprinter, who twice set the
world record at 100m.
192
Linda Somers Smith (1961- ), #39: a winner of the Chicago Marathon in 1992
and the California International in 1993, and also competing in the 1996
Olympic Games.
Linford Christie (1960- ), #5: a former British Jamaican sprinter, who was
banned from competition for the drug use.
Lizzy Hawker (1976- ), #39: a British distance runner, a world record holder
for 24-hour road running.
Lorenzo Daniel (1966- ), #5: a former American sprinter, known for setting
the 1985 world’s best performance in the 200m.
[M]
Mack Robinson (1914-2000), #25: an American sprinter, a silver medalist at the
1936 Berlin Olympic Games, who graduated from the University of Oregon.
Mal Whitfield (1924-2015), #32: an African-American sprinter and middle
distance runner, who won a gold medal in the 800m and a silver medal at the
1948 London Olympic Games.
Martha Hudson (1939- ), #16: a former American sprinter, a member of
4x100mR with Wilma Rudolph, who won a gold medal at 1960 Rome
Olympic Games in the 4x100mR.
Martha White (1959- ), #34: a former American long-distance runner, the
10,000-meter road record holder.
Mary Decker: (1958- ), #4, #5: a former American middle-distance runner,
who set world records in 5000m and 10,000m.
193
Michael Johnson (1967- ), #30: a former American sprinter, a gold medalist
at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games in the 200m and 400m.
[O]
Ollan Cassell (1937- ), #5: a former American sprinter, winner of a gold
medal in the 4x400mR relay at the 1964 Olympic Games. After retiring
athletics, he became the executive director of the Amateur Athletic Union
(AAU).
[P]
Paavo Nurmi (1897-1973), #1, #12: a Finnish long-distance runner, a winner of
1920 Antwerp Olympic Games in 10,000m and 1924 Paris Olympic Games in
5000m.
Pam Reed (1961- ), #27, #39: an American ultramarathoner, the first woman
to become the overall winner of the Badwater Ultramarathon, known as one
of the toughest ultramarathons.
Paula Radcliffe (1973- ), #18: a British long-distance runner, the current
women’s world record holder in the marathon, who has won several major
marathons, the London Marathon, the New York City Marathon, and the
Chicago Marathon.
[R]
Roberta Gibb (1942- ), #11: the first female Boston Marathon finisher, and
broke prejudices and misconceptions about female athletic capability.
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Roger Bannister (1929- ), #4, #32, #36: an English distance runner, who had
a British record in the 1500m and a career as a physician.
Ron Clarke (1937-2015), #3, #4, #43: a former Australian distance athlete,
writer and politician. He set seventeen world records.
Rory Bosio (1984- ), #39: an American ultramarathoner, a former winner of
Ultra-Trail Mont-Blanc.
Ryoichi Sekiya (1967- ), #27: a Japanese ultramarathoner and a current Asian
record holder of the 24-Hour Run.
[S]
Sebastian Coe (1956- ), #4: a former British middle distance runner, a
two-time gold medalist at the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games in the 1500m.
He is a member of IOC.
Sergey Bubka (1963- ), #5: a Ukrainian former pole vaulter who won six
consecutive IAAF World Championships. He was named Athlete of the Year
by Track and Field News.
Scott Jurek (1973- ), #27, #29: an American ultramarathoner and a public
speaker, known as a one of the most dominant ultramarathoner in the world,
winner of many famous races.
Stephanie Ehret (1963- ), #27: an American ultramarathoner, winning a
24-hour track run in record time.
Steve Cram (1960- ), #4: a British middle distance runner, a silver medalist at
the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, and currently working as a television
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presenter and athletic commentator.
Steve Ovett (1955- ), #4: a former British middle distance runner, a winner of
the 800m at the 1980 Olympic Games.
Steve Prefontaine (1951-1975), #4, #9, #39: an American middle and
long-distance runner, winner of the 5,000m at the 1971 Pan-America.
Sumie Inagaki (1966- ), #27: a Japanese ultramarathon runner from Hokkaido
who is the holder of the current women’s record in the 24-hour run Indoor.
[T]
Tarzan Brown (1914-1975), #21: “member of New England’s Narragansett
Indian tribe and a two-time Boston winner” (106).
Thomas Hick (1876-1952), #12: a Britain distance runner who used strychnine
and brandy before races, which disqualify him in modern games.
[W]
Wilma Rudolph (1940-1994), #8, #16: an African-American sprinter, the first
American woman to win three gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100mR.
[Y]
Yohan Blake (1989- ), #33: a Jamaican sprinter, a teammate of Usain Bolt, a
silver medalist in the100m and 200m at the 2012 London Olympic Games
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B: Athletic Organizations
[A]
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), #3, #25, #36, #43: a multi-sports organization
based in the United States, dedicated to the promotion and development of
amateur sports and physical fitness program.
[B]
Big Ten Conference (BiG10), #25: an athletic conference in the United States
established in 1895 by James H. Smart, the president of Purdue University.
[I]
International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), #4: an
organization founded in 1912, governing the sport of athletics. The IAAF
gives compensation to athletes for participating in international
competitions.
International Olympic Committee (IOC), #4,#25, #43: an international
organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, which organized the modern
Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Fames held every four years.
International Women’s Sports Federation, #39: an international organization,
founded in 1921, to support women athletes to compete in international
sports events.
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[N]
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), #10, #25, #34, #35, #36: an
organization to promote the athletic programs of colleges and universities in
the United States and Canada.
Nike Oregon Project, #34: a group sponsored by Nike to promote American
long-distance running.
[T]
The Athletics Congress (TAC), #4, #5, #36: an organization founded in 1878,
which governs track and field in the U.S., and currently known as USA
Track & Field (USATF).
[U]
United States Olympic Committee (USOC), #25: an organization based in
Colorado Springs, which dispatches elite athletic teams for the Olympic,
Paralympic, and Pan American Games.
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C: Major Competitions
[A]
Army Ten-Miler (ATM), #41: the second largest ten-mile race in the United
States, held in Arlington, VA and Washington, DC, which is sponsored by
the U.S. Army Military District of Washington.
[B]
Badwater Ultramarathon, #27, #29: an ultramaathon, said to be the world’s
toughest foot race, held in the Badwater Basin in California and ending at
Mount Whitney.
Big Sur International Marathon, #27: an annual marathon held in California,
attracting more than 4,000 participants.
Boston Marathon, #11, #12, #14, #21, #27, #39, #41, #43: a marathon held in
Eastern Massachusetts, which is known as one of six World Marathon
Majors, attracting over 50,000 runners.
Broad Street Run, #40: the largest 10-mile road race in the United States,
which attracts over 40,000 runners each year.
[C]
Chevron Houston Marathon, #14: an annual marathon held in Houston, Texas,
which attracts over 13,000 runners.
Chicago Marathon, #18, #27: an annually held marathon in Chicago, known as
one of the six World Marathon Majors; Boston, New York, London, Berlin
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and Tokyo Marathons.
Commonwealth Games, #18, #27: an international meet, with participants from
the fifty-three members of Commonwealth of Nations.
Comrades Marathon, #11: a marathon held annually in South Africa.
[F]
Falmouth Road Race, #34: a 7-mile road race held annually in the town of
Falmouth, Massachusetts.
Fukuoka Marathon, #43: an annual marathon held in Fukuoka Prefecture,
Japan, an IAAF Gold Label international marathon race.
[G]
Grandma’s Marathon, #21: an annual marathon that began in 1977 when a
group of local runners planned a scenic road race from Two Harbors to
Duluth, Minnesota.
[H]
Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance, #27: an ultramarathon of 100 miles with
33,992 feet of climb and 33,992 feet of descent for a total elevation change
of 67,984.
[I]
IAAF World Cross Country Championship, #18, #35: an international cross
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country competition organized by the IAAF, which was inaugurated in 1973,
and is used as one of the screening races for choosing nation team members
for the Olympics.
[L]
Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, #43: an annual marathon held in Shiga
Prefecture, Japan, an IAAF Label international marathon.
Leadville Trail 100 Run, #27: an ultramarathon begun in 1983 on trails and dirt
roads near Leadville Colorado, through the heart of the Rocky Mountains. In
most years, few people complete the race within the 30-hour time limit.
London Marathon, #14, #18, #27: an annual marathon founded by Chris
Brasher and John Disley, the former Olympians and sponsored by Virgin
Money London Marathon.
[M]
Marine Corps Marathon (MCM), #11: a marathon usually called “The
People’s Marathon”, which does not offer prize money, held in Arlington,
VA.
Millrose Games, #25: an annual track and field meet held in New York by The
Millrose Track Club.
Mountain Mist 50K, #38: a marathon held in Monte Sano State Park, where
runners are required to ascend 3526 feet, hosted by the Huntsville Track
Club.
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[N]
New York City Marathon, #11, #14, #16, #21, #27, #39, #43: an annual
marathon, one of the largest marathons, which usually attracts over 50,000
runners, organized by the New York Road Runners Club.
Nike Women’s Half Marathon, #39, #41: a marathon, started in 2003, which is
run on the street of San Francisco, and which attacks over 20,000 runners
each year.
[P]
Pan American Games, #5, #35: a major sporting event in the Americans,
usually held in the year before the Summer Olympic Games.
Pikes Peak Marathon, #27: a marathon beginning at the base of Pikes Peak in
Colorado with 7,815 feet of climb.
Pine Mountain Trail Run, #38: 40-mile ultramarathon held in Pine Mountain,
Georgia, where runners must run over rocky single-track trails.
Polytechnic Marathon (Polly), #12: a marathon held annually in London and
the first marathon, which was required to run regularly over 26 miles.
Prefontaine Classic, #30, #35: an annual track and field meet held in Eugene,
Oregon, by the Oregon Track Club, which draws elite athletes from around
the world.
[R]
Ranger Relay, #41: an annual meet held in various regions, which ranges to a
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total of 200 miles and take about 25 to 35 hours to complete. Each team runs
with 12 people.
Rock’n Roll Marathon, #27: a marathon combined with, travel and
entertainment, begun in 1998 in San Diego, CA.
[S]
San Francisco Marathon, #4: an annual marathon held in San Francisco, with
over 27,000 runners.
Sparatathlon Ultra Race, #39: an ultramarathon held in Athens, where runners
run 246 kilometers, taking place since 1983.
St. George Marathon, #11, #27: a marathon held annually in St. George, Utah,
the 13th largest marathon in the United States.
[T]
Tough Mudder, #41: a 12-mile running course with 26 obstacles along the way,
and which is touted as something only the fiercest people could finish.
[U]
U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, #11: a race that decides the members of the
Olympic Marathon team, which gets an entry qualification for the top three
finishers who have already met the Olympic A standard.
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[V]
Vancouver Half-Marathon, #39: a marathon held in Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada, the second-largest international marathon in Canada.
[W]
Walt Disney World Marathon, #38: a marathon held in Orland, Florida, with
distances ranging from 5K, 10K, half-marathon to a full marathon. This
marathon started in1994, when 5,588 runners attended and now 55,000
gather annually.
Women’s 5K Classic, #22: an annual race begun in 1993 to raise funds to
support the Greater Leigh Valley organizations that promote fitness among
women of all ages, supporting women and families affected by breast and
other cancers, but also to educate women about breast cancer awareness,
prevention and treatment.
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D: Injuries
[A]
Achilles Tendonitis, #3, #14, #39, #40: an inflammation of the Achilles tendon.
If not resolved, the condition gets worse; the tendon loses its organized
structure and is likely to develop micropscopic tears.
Achilles Tendinopathy, #17: a condition common for athletes, which usually
causes pain and swelling
Ankle sprain, #17: a condition referring to tearing of the ligaments of the ankle
caused by an ankle fracture.
[R]
Repetitive-strain injuries (RSI), #39: an injury occurring through repetitive
moment and overuse, giving the pain felt in muscles, nerves, and tendons.
[S]
Shin splints, #36, #40: a pain along the shin bone (tibia), which is caused by
overuse.
Stress fracture, #18: an injury through overuse that can occur in the foot, leg
and pelvis.
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E: Training Methods
[A]
Active recovery, #39: an exercise to facilities lactate and metabolic waste
removal by maintain blood flow in muscles during recovery.
[C]
Carbohydrate loading, #39: a strategy involving changes to training and
nutrition that can maximize muscle glycol (carbohydrate) stores prior to
endurance competition.
Circuit training, #39: a fast-paced training in which you do one exercise for 30
seconds to 5 minutes and then move on to another exercise.
Cross-training, #41: training in two or more sports in order to improve fitness
and performance, especially in a main sport.
[D]
Dynamic stretching, #39: a functional-based exercise, which uses sport-
specific movements to prepare the body for movement.
[F]
Fartlek, #14: a run with variable pace, usually for a distance runner.
[H]
High-attitude training, #18: a training to acclimatize to the lower level of
oxygen available in the atmosphere, which improves the delivery of oxygen
to the muscles.
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[I]
Interval (training), #2, #24: the type of physical training that involves a series
of low- to high-intensity exercise workouts interspersed with rest or relief
periods.
[P]
Periodization, #39: a strategy to promote long-term training and performance
improvements with preplanned, systematic variations in training specificity,
intensity, and volume organized in periods or cycles within an overall
program.
Plyometric, #39: an exercise involving repeated rapid stretching and
contracting of muscles to increase muscle power.
[S]
Strength training, #39: a method of improving muscular strength by gradually
increasing the ability to resist force through the use of free weights,
machines, or the person’s own body weight.
[T]
Tempo runs, #14, #23: a fast-paced workout, which improves a crucial
physiological variable for metabolic fitness.
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[V]
VO2 Max, #14, #23: the maximum rate of oxygen consumption as measured
during incremental exercise, most typically on a motorised treadmill.
F: Physiology and Symptoms Common for Athlete
[A]
Anabolic steroid, #2, #5: a synthetic steroid hormone, which resembles
testosterone in promoting the growth of muscle.
Anaerobic threshold (AT), #24, #39: the exertion level between aerobic and
anaerobic training. The AT is the point during exercise when your body must
switch from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism.
Anemia, #12, #14: a symptom common for distance runners. Anemia is a
condition that reduces in hemoglobin, which causes dizziness, sickness and
apathy.
Anorexia (nervosa), #27: The more serious athletes are, the easier they come to
be anorexic. There are several features: an extreme aversion to gaining
weight, a rejection of eating and having a distorted body image.
Athlete Burnout, #39: physical and emotional exhaustion, which leads to the
athlete becoming sunk in depression.
[C]
Core muscles, #33: a group of muscles that connect the upper and lower body
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and support the spine. These include abdominals as well as muscles in the
hips and lower back.
[D]
Grace’s Disease, #35: a disease, causing an immune system disorder that results
in the overproduction of thyroid.
[H]
Hypernatremia (water intoxication), #27: a symptom caused by drinking
excessive amounts of water, leading to a low concentration of sodium in the
blood.
Homeostasis, #2: a biological system maintains stability, which adjusts to
changing condition.
[I]
Iliotibial Band Syndrome, #17: the pain for regular runners, particularly
long-distance runners. The iliotibial band is a fascia that runs down the
length of the outer thigh from hip to knee.
[L]
Lactic Acid, #2, #24: a compound produced when glucose is broken down and
oxidized. During intense exercise when oxygen levels are lower, more lactic
acid is produced which can produce hydrogen ions and a burning sensation
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in muscles while they are active.
[P]
Patellar tendinitis, #40: an injury to the tendon connecting the kneecap to the
shinbone, known as jumper’s knee and common for athletes whose sports
involve frequent jumping.
Piriformis syndrome, #17: a tiny muscle that sits between the other gluteal
muscles in the buttocks. One of the problems with the muscle is that it sits
right over the sciatic nerve, so when someone is diagnosed with sciatica or
back pain, she is sometimes suffering from an overactive piriformis muscle.
Plantar Fasciitis, #17: a pain in the heel and sole of the foot that creates a
realistic sensation of either running barefoot on hot coals or wearing through
your heel altogether.
[R]
Runner’s high, #4: a feeling of euphoria, experienced by individuals who
engage in strenuous running.
[S]
Scoliosis, #33: abnormal lateral curvature of the spine.
[Z]
Zone, #24: the mental state of operation in which a person performing an
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activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity.
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